Category Archives: Interactive Theatre International

Happy Anniversary!

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Sixteen years ago to this day Faulty Towers The Dining Experience debuted at The Ridge Hotel, Spring Hill in Brisbane, Australia.

In its 16th year, The Dining Experience is touring in over 20 countries, with eight acting teams and supporting staff in both hemispheres, plus a permanent residency in London’s West End…A fantastic achievement that Ali and the first performers would barely have dreamed of, back in 1997.

 

Need more history? You can read about Interactive Theatre International in further detail on our website.

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Introducing… Donna Gray

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Donna Gray Headshots-137 ret

This week we’ll be introducing Donna Gray, an experienced screen and stage actor and masters graduate from Drama Centre CSM. Donna has been playing Sybil in Faulty Towers The Dining Experience for just over a year now and has toured around the world to Barbados, Portugal, Ireland and our London West End residency at The Charing Cross Hotel.

 

Q1: What’s your favourite part of working with Faulty Towers The Dining Experience so far or favourite Faulty moment?

A: Travelling around the world with the show. My most recent highlight was performing alfresco on the veranda of Holders House in Barbados for the Holders Season 2013. We were on the bill amongst acts like Paul Merton and Russell Watson and we did two sell out shows overlooking the Caribbean Sea!

Apart from the travelling – whacking Basil around the head with a tray of nuts every night is always a highlight!

Donna at Holders House, Barbados (March 2013)

Donna at Holders House, Barbados (March 2013)

Q2: Describe yourself in 3 words.

A: Driven, impatient and blonde!


Q3: What’s your best (or worst) corpsing story?

A: There once was a man who laughed like a performing seal throughout the night. During an important silence in the show – where Sybil turns and catches Basil out – he was sitting right under my nose and as I was glaring at Basil he burst out laughing, or should I say barking! The rest of the audience and myself had to just turn and watch him. It was hard to contain myself but Sybil calmly turned to him and said “Are we related?” then laughed in her usual machine-gunning seal way herself! 
 As I left the room the corners of my mouth started to turn up uncontrollably and on reaching the kitchen I just fell about laughing! (You had to be there!)

Q4: What similarities and differences are there between you and the character you play?

A: Scarily, there are quite a few! 
I like to chat, 
I have tendencies to say ‘I know’ and ‘Really?’ I have big hair 
and I love a matching two piece!

Q5: If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why?

A: A Dragon of course! Or if you mean a real one, maybe a Parrot: I talk too much and preen myself (a bit like Sybil!). Or a Sheep because I’m mutton dressed up as lamb! 
Or a Golden Retriever as I’m very blonde and eager to please!

Q6: Who’s your favourite other cast member to share a dressing room with and why?

A: Ooh that’s a tough one! Can I have a few?

Jack (Basil) because he always comes with gifts of cheese or chocolate for after show treats and he plays the Beatles on his iPod.

Brian (Manuel) because we have a ritual of singing Bohemian Rhapsody as loud as we can to warm up pre-show.

Paul (Basil) because he never fails to have a story of the day to share with us and his determination to get the live match on his iPad gives a good energy in the room.

Q7: If your character had a dating profile, what do you think it would say?

A: Chic, tenacious, domineering woman with excellent social skills seeks tall, dark and handsome male with a good pedigree!

Q8: What was your last tweet or Facebook status?

A: “Linda’s Veggie Sausages to the rescue #cupboardsarebare #lunch #hurryupandcook”

Q10: What don’t you leave home without?

A: A bag of nuts and raisins and enough money for a skinny latte.

Q11: Do you have any hidden talents?

A: I can still do the splits!

 

If you want to see Donna in action, in both Faulty Towers and other clips, check out her 2013 Showreel:

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Using Paypal to pay by credit/debit card

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Recently we’ve had quite a few enquiries from people trying to buy tickets for our Charing Cross residency, who don’t have a Paypal or Google wallet account. Never fear, there is a simple way round this!
When you’re offered the Payment options of Paypal or Google Wallet, click on Paypal.

paypal, payment, instructions

On the next page you will be offered the option to “Pay with a credit or debit card”. Simply click this and fill in your card information.

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Ta-dah!

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Tweet of the Week

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I think Basil’s in trouble again! Thanks Katie Croft (@croftyk7) for this tweet and picture of Ron Kelly, Andy Foreman and Karen Hamilton at Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

http://instagram.com/p/YNQsiCPGvQ/

 

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Tweet of the Week

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This week’s tweet of the week is from one of our Basil’s, Jordan Edmeades (@JordanEdmeades) in the Netherlands and is a great photo of him and Karina Garnett in Hoorn. Basil and Sybil looking almost like a happy couple!

 

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Sydney Opera House debut

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From one icon to another…

Image used with permission from Sydney Opera House Trust

Image used with permission from Sydney Opera House Trust

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that we’re making our debut at the Sydney Opera House this September. We’ll be performing in The Utzon Room between 23-29 September, so if you’re local or happen to find yourself in Sydney then come along and join Basil, Sybil and Manuel for dinner in the world’s most iconic arts centre!

More details will be on our website shortly, in the meantime you can sign up to our mailing list and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for all the latest updates.

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Behind the Scenes – UK Cast Photo Shoot

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Last week we got our UK cast together to take part in some Dining Experience publicity shots. After a busy and productive session at Idezign Studio in Tottenham we are now excitedly finalising our favourite fabulous photos of Basil, Sybil and Manuel. It was lucky that we managed to get all our performers together in one place, as they’re so often touring all around the UK and worldwide and it was great fun to all catch up with each other.

Here’s a sneak peak behind the scenes with just a few of our actors and the photographer, Emma Rodzik. We’ve also added a whole album to our Facebook page for those of you that are feeling particularly nosey!

Basil faulty towers backstage photoshoot

Jack Baldwin as Basil

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Paul O’Neill as Basil

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Donna Gray as Sybil

Manuel backstage photo faulty towers photo shoot

Terence Frisch as Manuel

Keep your eyes peeled at our venues and on our Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for the final photos!

If you happen to be looking for a photo studio space to hire, check out Idezign Studio’s website and Twitter.
Check out Emma Rodzik’s art photography on her Flickr.

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Pop-up promotions

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faulty towers, kick, silhouette, promotions
Follow us on Twitter & Facebook to receive more information about our pop-up promotions.

Snap them up quickly, they won’t be around for long!

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Chat with us!

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You can now chat with us via the chat function over on our website. Between the UK and Australian offices there’s almost always someone online to chat to no matter what time zone you’re in, just click the purple bar in the bottom right and a chat box will pop up, then you can ask away!

jivosite, faulty towers, chat

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Tweet of the Week

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Thanks to Matt Saraceni (@iamnotmatt) on Twitter for sharing this photo of Basil and Manuel at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival this week, but can anyone guess what Basil’s saying?

Basil and Manuel have it out at the "Faulty Towers Dining Experience".

A photo posted by Matt Saraceni (@mattsaraceni) on

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Sybil Fawlty – Style Icon

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Sybil Fawlty’s style stands out in the history of the British sit-com as unique and memorable. Combined with her barmy but beautifully arranged bouffant, and her distinctive diction, she instantly recognisable in the UK and world-wide, even over 30 years on.

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If you follow us on Pinterest you may have already noticed that we have a whole board in homage to Sybil’s superb style, filled with more clips from the Fawlty Towers TV series and images of beautiful, handmade clothing that can be bought online through websites such as Etsy.

Inspirational.

The great thing about Sybil Fawlty’s huge variety of outfits across the series is that she has provided a wealth of inspiration for our very own Sybils, who each have their own individual take on the character’s fashion sense.

Here are a few of our favourites from recent tours:

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Karina Garnet (left) at Downpatrick, Ireland, Donna Gray (centre) at Charing Cross, London and Amanda McKay (right) at Fringe World Perth, Australia.

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Karen Hamilton (left) at  Edinburgh, Alison Pollard-Mansergh (centre) and Suzanna Hughes (right) at Charing Cross, London.

What are your favourite Sybil outfits from our shows or the original TV series?

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Tweet of the week

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This week’s tweet of the week is from Roel Vente (@RoelVente) at Het Park, Hoorn in the Netherlands. We’re loving these lights!

Keep tweeting us your photos because we love to see them and you might just end up here next week!

 

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Introducing…Anthony Sottile

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This week we’ll be introducing Anthony Sottile, an Australian actor who has been playing Manuel in Faulty Towers The Dining Experience for just over 3 years now. He is currently touring in Europe and made in his debut on the West End, London last October.

Anthony Sottile, Faulty Towers The Dining Experience, Manuel

Q1: What’s your favourite part of working with Faulty Towers The Dining Experience so far or favourite Faulty moment?

A: Plainly put, seeing the world – and unfortunately I have too many favourite Faulty moments to only mention one!

Q2: Describe yourself in 3 words?

A: Mostly always bloated!

Q3: What’s your best (or worst) corpsing story?

A: Edinburgh 2011 – Kevin Whittle was playing Basil and it was the beginning of the show out in the alley-way, and he read out the first name on the seating plan… “Sharky”. A lady responded to her name being called and Basil pretended he didn’t hear her and stepped in to help the situation. “Mr. Faulty, Mr. Faulty, is this lady”, “Who?”… “the fish lady”, and that’s all I said. The crowd broke into fits of laughter and Kevin corpsed, and I couldn’t hold it in either. It’s the only time I have truly corpsed.

Q4: What similarities and differences are there between you and the character you play?

A: We’re both eager to please and I’d like to think pure and kind hearted. And sweet! And adorable!!… Did I mention humble…?

 

Q5: If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why?

A: Probably a cat… I like lounging around (I’m quite good at it really), and it’d be nice to try it with an extra pair of legs!

Q6: Who’s your favourite other cast member to share a dressing room with and why?

A: Recently, I’ve been performing with Jordan mostly, so I’ve become accustomed to his musical sound effects (hint: they sound like various breeds of ducks being run over by a car!).

Anthony Sottile, Faulty Towers The Dining Experience, Fawlty Towers, Manuel

Anthony performing in Zwolle, Netherlands in February this year.

Q7: If your character had a dating profile, what do you think it would say?

A: Innocent Spanish man looking for lovely catholic Spanish lady, who likes small fury little things!!

Q8: What was your last tweet or Facebook status?

A: I shared a video we made of Manuel on his way to Heerlen, Netherlands.

Q9: What don’t you leave home without?

A: Mobile phone and wallet.

Q10: Do you have any hidden talents?

A: Yes, a few – but they’re not for public viewing; hence “hidden talents”!

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