When older Aussies think of a classic British comedy based around a hapless Torquay hotelier variously insulting, offending, flattering, and faulting unfortunate guests, spouses, staff, and random visitors, who comes to mind? Boxboards Theatre is staging its flagship production “Faulty Tales”, re-imagined with an Australian twist, at the Ambassador Orange in November.

This is the longest-running Australian parody of the sitcom “Fawlty Towers”, in which John Cleese played the cringeworthy host with a mixture of front, snobbery, incompetence, and off-the-cuff craziness.

“Faulty Tales” runs from Friday, November 6, with the evening of mayhem and madness described as “an interactive dinner theatre featuring a sumptuous three-course menu”. The show does not simply condense and replicate classic scenes from the 1970s series, but is a spoof adapted with a modern twist that also parodies Australian society and culture.

The series “Fawlty Towers”, which writer Cleese later said was based on the experiences the Monty Python team had at a south coast hotel in 1970, is considered among the best British comedies of all time, even though it featured only 12 episodes filmed in two series four years apart. It also featured classic comedy characters including Basil Fawlty; his long-suffering but caustic wife, Sybil; disaster-coping maid Polly (played by Cleese’s former wife and co-writer, Connie Booth); and Manuel, the manservant from Barcelona!

But now, in a retake on the old legend, Basil is back spinning his very own faulty tales! The cast is made up entirely of Orange locals: Basil (Matthew Barry), Cibil (Cin Jackson), Manuel (Adam Ryder), Pollie (Alex Halls), the Major (Frank Smolle), and a mystery character (Steven Browning).

A spokesperson for the production said: “This November, the newly Orange-based production company, Boxboards Theatre, presents ‘Faulty Tales’. This is an absolutely brilliant dinner-theatre parody of the greatest BBC sitcom ever made!” The show aims to thrust guests into the world of their favourite old comedy shows, the spokesperson explained. “The cast of highly talented actors focuses on re-creating recognisable characters from the original series. You definitely won’t be disappointed! “‘Faulty Tales’ is a parody of many things – the original series, but also of 1970s British comedy in general,” the spokesperson said.

The show positions itself to provide an interesting modern twist as well, they revealed. “The show also brings the characters into the present day and also cleverly parodies aspects of Australian society and culture; who will be the mystery character?” Boxboards Theatre artistic director Matthew Barry said the aim is not to replicate “Fawlty Towers” but to pay homage to the classic age of broadcast television comedy. “We thrust our audiences into the world of their favourite TV show and love doing it!” Mr Barry explained. “We used to call ‘Faulty Tales’ the ‘Mousetrap in the Mountains’ as it played for 22 years in Leura,” he added. He said the move to the Central Tablelands is a new start for the group.

“Now we are based in Orange and have developed a great association with the Ambassador Orange,” Mr Barry said. “This type of theatre is so special. It is very personal and warm – there is nowhere to hide for the actors or audience alike!” he concluded. The show runs from Friday, November 6, until Saturday, November 21.