IT is a very difficult task to put on your own version of such an iconic comedy as Fawlty Towers - but Blackwood Little Theatre certainly rise to the challenge!
Following on from the success of 2009, when they first experimented with three episodes of this 70s sit-com, they now take on another three - the Germans, the Rat and the Kipper and the Corpse.
Mark Thomas tackles the enormous job of becoming hotel owner Basil Fawlty - made infamous by John Cleese - and warms to the role as he goes through the first night, starting a little shakily but becoming increasingly and enticingly bad-tempered and rude by the third episode.
Graham J. Evans is really funny and true to form as the elderly Major, who bumbles his way round the hotel getting on everyone's nerves, while Peta Maidman does an excellent job of tackling the difficult role of Basil's sarcastic wife Sybil as does Shelley Bethan Morgan as the hotel's waitress/ maid-of-all-work Polly.
The world's most famous Spanish waiter Manuel is Ian Dinham and he plays the part to near perfection with his misunderstandings and hysterical outbursts, especially when he thinks Terry the chef (Trevor Howlett) has put his 'hamster' in the ratatouille!
Under the directorship of Yve Price and Neil Maidman, the cast stick firmly to the original scripts, not being tempted to meddle with some of the best known lines in British comedy.
Because of the fast-paced nature of all these episodes there are some inevitable slip with the words and timing, though these only add to the general hilarity!
The show runs until Saturday and if you are a Fawlty fan it's well worth a visit.
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