Just say the words 'Fawlty Towers' and faces light up with instant recognition for the beloved crew of Basil, his wife Sybil, chambermaid Polly and of course, the bumbling Spaniard Manuel.
Hapless, yet ever-willing to help, Manuel is the enduring waiter who... Well, let's just say he endures – a lot.
“He just means so very well, it all comes from a really genuine place of heart,” Nicholas Richard who plays Manuel in 'Faulty Towers The Dining Experience' (Adelaide Fringe) says. It's the most successful and long-running tribute to the show.
“If his character was a 'Captain Planet' planeteer he'd be Heart... Because he is quite useless, but it comes from a really genuine place of trying to do his best and trying to help out, and that's where you've got to go with it.”
Challenged by his poor grasp of the English language and social norms, Manuel is frequently the target of Basil's verbal tirades and physical abuse.
“It's quite funny because at the basis a lot of the farce comes from a misunderstanding, which opens up so many doors of opportunity for fun but as long as it comes from a genuine place,” Nicholas says.
“He's not trying to make fun of anything, he's actually trying to do his job and he's just so incompetent... He's such a lovable character. People adore him and people love to interact with him. He's a lot of fun, to be honest.”
In the original television series, Manuel was portrayed by actor Andrew Sachs who cast in stone an immortal legacy that permeates pop culture to this day.
“There are people who even say things like [Manuel's iconic catchphrase] 'I know nothing' and who actually don't know where it's from. It's so ingrained,” Nicholas muses.
“People say 'que?' ['what?'] when they don't understand something but that came from his character as well, it was so popularised by him. People say it without knowing exactly where it comes from or who they're quoting.”
With just twelve episodes produced over a two-season run in 1975 and 1979, 'Fawlty Towers' cemented itself as a cult fan favourite and secured first place as one of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes as compiled by the British Film Institute (BFI) in 2000.
Produced by Interactive Theatre International, 'Faulty Towers The Dining Experience' started life in 1997 and has since grown into a worldwide phenomenon performed by multiple touring casts.
The show immerses audiences in a true 'Fawlty Towers' dining experience where they are served a three-course meal by the actors/staff while enjoying a show that's one-third original script and two-thirds improvised.
“From the get-go, people are having their welcome drinks and we're already there, it's already happening because you're in a working hotel, a 'Fawlty Towers' establishment,” Nicholas says.
“We're actually serving as well and that's when people can interact and have a bit of fun. It's an all-original script but there's a lot of allusions, hints and bits from the TV show. There are a lot of little hat tips and homages to the series but it's not a requirement to be a fan of 'Fawlty Towers'.”
