Fawlty Towers: John Cleese reveals who will take his place as Basil for stage adaptation
COMEDY legend John Cleese says he is too old to play the role of Basil Fawlty on stage and today revealed the identity of the actor who will take his place.
John Cleese and he younger actor who will be replacing him
Stephen Hall, 46, has been selected to play the manic role of Basil in the upcoming Australian stage adaptation of TV comedy Fawlty Towers.
Cleese, 76, who will forever be associated with the hit 1970s TV show said he had not considered personally reprising the role of Basil because “at my age it would kill me”.
He added: “I can’t tell you how exhausting he is and he’s exhausting because he’s constantly tense.”
Cleese said playing Basil at his age 'would kill him'
Specsavers Fawlty Car Advert, featuring John Cleese
Fawlty Towers - Live On Stage opens in Sydney on August 19 and will then travel to Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane.
Cleese said the stage show would look and sound like the original TV show, with familiar and new dialogue.
He said of the Aussie actor who is stepping into his shoes as the crazed hotelier with a penchant for offending guests: “You need someone who connects with the character emotionally.”
The comedy legend said he thought the British media would be too harsh on the live remake of his hit TV show “because they dislike me very much”.
He added: “I would be very careful about bringing anything into the West End until it had achieved some success somewhere else.”