So dear readers, What would you expect to see from a hotel bedroom window in Torquay ...? Mrs Richards wanted to see the sea which, according to Mr Fawlty, was to be seen somewhere between the land and the sky – and so began a wonderful evening of entertainment which is the stage version of the 1970s TV series Fawlty Towers (or, according to the second act signage, ‘Fatty Owls’).

The play has been adapted for the stage by John Cleese himself, who has taken three of the TV show’s most memorable episodes – The Hotel Inspectors, The German Guests, and Communication with the dear but deaf Mrs Richards – seamlessly joined together to create this stage adaptation.

I am always a little cautious, wondering how a performance will transfer from one medium to another, but for this production my concerns were groundless, as the play has remained true to the TV original, perfectly capturing the chaos and special type of humour for which Fawlty Towers is renowned.

The cast are brilliant and have remained true to their TV character counterparts. In particular, Danny Bayne has completely mastered the mannerisms and the clipped speech patterns; the boiling frustrations are all instantly identifiable as Basil Fawlty. Not yet even mentioning his mastery of John Cleese’s physical humour, making a great comic value of his lanky body breaking out in a goose-step in front of his German hotel guests. Meanwhile, Emily Winter as Sybil was amazingly accurate to the voice and mannerisms of the dear departed Prunella Scales, the actress who made Sybil her own with her no-nonsense handling of Basil and the management of the hotel.

Manuel (from Barcelona, you know), played by Hemi Yeroham was also excellent; his innocent confusion and desire to help generated much audience laughter, as did Paul Nicholas as the doddery and occasionally senile Major.

There is a fire drill that isn’t a fire drill; the missing money; the talking moose’s head; and Basil’s attempts at miming the name of his winning horse to Polly behind Sybil’s back – all are the stuff of pure comedy gold, and it didn’t disappoint.

The set is a two-level construction housing the hotel entrance, staircase and dining room on the ground floor and a guest bedroom on the upper floor, which meant that all of the action was visible without the need for any scene changes, which added to the fluidity of the play. The costumes and hairstyles were straight out of the seventies, both set and costumes being designed by Liz Ascroft. Directed by Caroline Jay Ranger, the play is well paced and choreographed to perfection to deliver ‘a homage to the award-winning television sitcom of the day whilst delivering a real tonic of laughter’.

If you were a fan of the TV series, you will love this stage production, and if you are too young to remember the TV series, see this play, appreciate the brilliance of the writing and laugh out loud at the confusion unfolding before your eyes.

Sheffield Lyceum Until 11th April