Faulty Towers Dining Experience, Charing Cross Hotel

The main difference between Fawlty Towers the TV series and Faulty Towers the dining experience, is the faulty ‘u’ that replaces the famous ‘w’ in the tv name, every other detail is almost identical in this marvellous spoof performance.

The Fawlty Towers series has a worldwide reputation, and soon I expect so will Faulty Towers the dining experience. The three cast members have already travelled over the globe presenting their rendition of the classic Fawlty Towers mealtime moments. In London the magic takes place at The Charing Cross Hotel in a cleverly dressed and disguised room with the traditional music to accompany. The room is smart but dated and suits the theme of the evening precisely.

After buying a rather nice glass of white wine from the bar, we gathered among a crowd of fifty guests, all excitedly anticipating the night ahead. There was enough time to recount and refresh our brains with the most memorable Fawlty Towers moments before the three actors came to revive the jokes in the flesh. Basil, Sybil and Manuel are played by Jack Baldwin, Suzanna Hughes and Terence Frisch.

Peanuts are thrown (at us), false teeth found in the soup, a fire extinguisher employed, even Manuel’s pet rat makes an appearance. Every favourite line manages to sneak its way in, amazing considering only a third of the production is scripted, the rest is just genius improvisation. The mannerisms, voices and characteristics are captured perfectly by the three talented impersonators. The show is fully immersive, the actors work hard to include all the guests, making us giggle but never humiliating anyone. Visitors can choose to be as involved as they desire, the birthday boy on the next door table was mocked merrily and received an embarrassing rendition of ‘happy birthday,’ others stole extra bread rolls and paid the consequences, having their bottoms smacked.

The food was rather bland and disappointing: Leek and potato soup was under-seasoned and too thin, chicken with potato was lukewarm and unexciting and the cheesecake was certainly not freshly made. Of it all the bread rolls with butter were the most palatable. However you don’t visit this show expecting haute cuisine, in fact just like every other detail of the night, the food was just as it would have been in the tv programme.

It was, without doubt the best worst meal I’ve ever had. An experience I will never forget and a must for Fawlty fans!

More information here.

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