Faulty Towers the Dining Experience

The scene was set for one of the most fun and unusual dinners I've been to in quite a while, A perpetually smiling and charming Sybil ushers us in to the main dining room at the back of the Pumphouse Hotel. My dinner partner and I were not sure what to expect of this two hour dinner show based upon the classic television comedy, but we soon realised we were going to have a lot of fun.

As you enjoy a three course dinner you are transported into the world of Faulty Towers with Interactive Theatre. The food is not the main event at this dining experience, but the comedy is.

The cast are all accomplished performers and fantastic impersonators bringing to life the much loved characters. Nigel Bell as Basil is the spitting image of the original character and his mannerisms are spot on. Tony Nixon as Manuel is great as the Spanish waiter who is way out of his depth and Alison Pollard-Mansergh as Sybil has a piercing "Basil!" shriek that you won't forget. The actors work well together and keep the energy going over the two hours filled with chaos, giggles and mayhem a plenty.

The show happens around the dining room and at your own table. It is both scripted and improvised and it really works. If you are a fan of the show then you are going to enjoy this dining experience which will open up the Comedy Festival experience to a broader audience.

Performances across Melbourne:

Templebar Precinct, 98 Smith St, Collingwood
(5 - 7, 13, 14 & 19 - 21 Apr)
The Pumphouse Hotel, 123 Nicholson St, Fitzroy
(9 - 12 Apr)
The Royal Melbourne Hotel, 629 Bourke St, Melbourne
(15 - 18 Apr)
The Cornish Arms, 163A Sydney Road, Brunswick
(22 - 28 Apr)

Review by hala