Witnessing unrivalled success, Faulty Towers The Dining Experience hits its 15th birthday year with style… touring in 15 countries, and with two years of booked work in the pipeline (a ne’er see on the stage), a myriad of five-star reviews and endless standing ovations. Alison Pollard-Mansergh, Artistic Director of Interactive Theatre International and Sybil-in-residence, lets us in on the show’s secret.
Hoping to make it fill six months whilst out of acting work and in between jobs, Alison first donned the make up and transformed into Sybil in restaurants around Australia. After meeting Andy Foreman, the original Manuel of FTDE, they co-wrote a loose script and the rest, they say, is history. Now, 15 years on, they have a list of praise as long as your right arm, a beckoning audience in the Netherlands, a bunch of hosting restaurants across the world, and a massive cake with sparklers and fireworks put on by the kind folks at DG Theatre, plus a nice piece in the local paper.
“I didn’t think that 15 years ago, when I started, it would ever last this long.” And yet, here they are, expanding from four teams to six, taking on new British actors and rehearsing their Sybil, Basil and Manuel counterparts. “All performers in the show go through the same transformation, and it’s extremely interesting to watch. As soon as I’m in costume, I’m Sybil. She is just ingrained in me – my husband even tells me to stop being Sybil and start being Alison! It’s like I channel her, so to speak… although I’m not sure if that’s kosher. It’s lovely to watch that same transformation happen to the newbies!”
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With the DVDs on repeat, the original work has slowly evolved into new situation-oriented gags. Tweaks to the script expand on the experiences the teams have had with audiences and in exploring their own improvisation. Plus, with their constant touring, witnessing the service of hoteliers and waiters means material creates itself. “Those characters are still so relevant. A lot of these characters still exist – the service, the manner, the character”.
The whole set up has gained a massive momentum, driven by incredibly talented people and an abundance of fans and “repeat offenders”. Immersive theatre like FTDE is completely susceptible to its audience.
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The actors are on as much of an emotional journey as the willing audience, which means no two nights are the same. From the diners clad in their German attire, to the difficult customers, to the hard of hearing… to those who quite simply kick up a fuss over the Waldorf salad!
Each country brings it’s own culture and that’s reminiscent in every audience.
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“There’s one guy from the Netherlands who has been three times, and each time he brings a different person with him, so that he can watch their reactions when he knows which jokes are coming.”
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“One guy comes every time he’s in a different country so he can experience FTDE in different theatres”
“Plus, our promoter in the Netherlands has seen it near 100 times by now! He doesn’t get sick of it, because every time there’s something new.”
The audience plays along as much as the actors, leading the cast on tangents as they veer in and out of script and down new pathways.
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And that’s not to mention the people who come to try and suss out whether it’s cheesy or not! “Usually, they’re dispelled within the first five minutes.” The nature of the immersive work (set in a restaurant, and based around a planned meal), is likely to leave you fully-engrossed in the surroundings, so that you soon forget all preconceptions as to whether this is really John Cleese or not! Gently coaxing the audience in with their own idiosyncrasies and charms, and exciting the fan base of the original television series, Fawlty Towers, has left FTDE with sell out tours on worldwide stages.
Next stop is Brighton Fringe from the 5-27 May (daily except Mondays) at Thistle Brighton, with tickets costing between £46.50-£52. Either that, or you can catch Karen Hamilton (and guest performances from Alison herself, up at Edinburgh Fringe Festival).
“I’ve met some incredibly talented people and have not looked back.” And so the tour continues with Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the USA and Canada planned for 2013… they’re keeping Sybil, Manuel and Basil on their toes! “I’m just so lucky to have stumbled on something that has lasted this long.”
Quite simply, a credit to the acting, the idea and the brilliant script… “Cleese would be delighted!”
For more information, or to book tickets for FTDE click here.
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By Hannah Van Den Bergh
