Little Lark of London

Dentures in your soup? A pet hamster on the loose? These are just a few of the chaotic things one can expect at Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience. The show, produced by Interactive Theatre International, has been running for over 25 years with performances not only in London but in Australia and Scotland as well. According to the Interactive Theatre International’s website, 70% of Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience is improvised throughout the two hours that guests partake in the show. 

For those unfamiliar with the original show, Fawlty Towers revolves around Basil Fawlty, played by John Cleese, as he struggles to run a hotel. There are plenty of farcical moments throughout the comedic show, and it has been rated one of the best British television shows of all time. As someone who is a fan of Fawlty Towers, the show that the dining experience is based on, I was looking forward to seeing how the experience would pay tribute to the show, especially in a dining environment. 

The three characters portrayed are the owner, Basil (Jonathan “Jack” Baldwin), his wife, Sybil (Clare Buckingham), and the Spanish waiter, Manuel (Carl Dolamore). From the moment you step into the space, you are immersed in the world of the characters, with Basil making snide remarks, Sybil checking her seating plan and Manuel throwing nuts at audience members. Once everyone is seated, the show really begins! Throughout the two hours, the three actors are constantly moving around the space, interacting with the different tables and starting conversations with audience members. Our table had some particularly fun interactions as there was a German couple whom Basil was quite suspicious of! 

Those who are familiar with and love Mischief Theatre and its “Goes Wrong” shows will definitely enjoy the antics of the three characters. Indeed, The Play That Goes Wrong took much inspiration from Fawlty Towers, so it makes sense that as a Mischief fan I thoroughly enjoyed this experience! Poor Manuel is constantly being thrown around the space and even Basil doesn’t escape without a few bumps and bruises from his wife. 

I’m not a food critic so I won’t go into too much detail on the food itself, but it was quite delicious! I particularly enjoyed the butternut squash soup and the raspberry cheesecake, though the main dish was good as well. Of course, you’re not going to Faulty Towers for the food – you’re going for the experience, and the food is just a bonus!

Ultimately, Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience is a fun experience and will entertain both Fawlty Towers fans and those unfamiliar with the dinner show’s inspiration. The actors are excellent at improvisation and will leave everyone laughing between bites of food (hopefully without any fake teeth!). 
Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience runs at the President Hotel in London. Tickets can be purchased here.