'Faulty Towers The Dining Experience'
Michael Davoren has stepped into some big shoes, very big shoes, but when it comes to emulating one of the all time greatest comedic actors and comedic characters his task couldn't be greater.
Australian actor, Michael Davoren, takes to the Millennium Forum stage as Basil Faulty in ‘Faulty Towers The Dining Experience’. Originally played by John Cleese, it’s a sizeable role to step into.
Described as a 'total immersion' piece of interactive comedy theatre, it’s performed in a restaurant: the audience are the diners and the cast their warring waiters. It provides two hours of "face-aching fun as well as a fabulous meal."
The fun starts as the audience are called to be seated in the restaurant of the Fawlty Towers Hotel, and it hurtles along for the next two hours as Sybil, Basil and Manuel serve the meal. Basil is manic, Sybil domineering, and Manuel is hopelessly language challenged. Everything that can go wrong does.
Michael joined the cast in Feburary of last year, however the show has been running down under since 1997. In 2008 it was a hit at The Edinburgh Festival. It has since been constantly touring the UK and Ireland.
"It's a good gig," laughs Michael. "You miss home but where there is a ying there is yang. There aren’t too many jobs you get to be rude to people who pay money to come and see you."
Just how much fun is it to play Basil then?
"You can pretty much say what you like so long as you're in character. You can't leave character. Everyone expects Basil to be rude and shouty but he is impatient and forgetful. It is those aspects of his character which create the comedy.
"Basil is one of the all time great comedy characters, so we give that our complete respect. We keep it authentic and as real to the TV show as possible. That is the philosophy of the stage show."
So has Mr. Cleese ever dropped in for a bite to eat?
"Allegedly he knows about the show. We would love one of the original cast to come and see us," said Michael.
"It really is a show which does exactly what it says on the tin. It makes people laugh, often for the full two hours. That is the best aspect of this gig for me, people laughing."
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience performs at the Millennium Forum next Tuesday 13th and Wednesday, 14th July. Tickets are now available from the Box Office. Telephone 71 264455 or visit www.millenniumforum.co.uk for bookings.
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