A Major Mishap

The audience at Fawlty Towers theatre was evacuated after the major’s shotgun sets off smoke alarms.

16:35 15 July 2015

The audience at Fawlty Towers theatre almost did not see last scenes of the amateur theatre production of Fawlty Towers after a fake gunshot triggered a fire alarm. The packed theatre had to be evacuated.

 

The cast was re-enacting a famous scene from the classic sitcom where the Major tries to shoot a rat. However, the fumes from the black round set off the smoke sensor.

 

Audience member Jean Bourne said: “It was the very last part of the show.

 

“It was the scene where Manuel was on the loose in the hotel with a rat and the Major was preparing his shotgun to shoot it.

 

“There was a big bang from the gun and we all jumped - smoke came out and the alarms starting going off.

 

“Everyone thought the alarm was part of the show except we couldn’t really hear the actors - then the manager came out and said we all had to evacuate until the fire brigade came.”

 

She added: “We all went to the car park, but when we came in they rewound the show back to just before the gun was shot.

 

“Instead of firing it again they got us all to shout ‘Bang,’ and it just added to the fun.

 

“It was such a good show, I’d give it 11 out of 10. The actor who played Basil Fawlty was absolutely perfect.”

 

Director Jo Taylor said: “In an event that seemed typical of Britain’s most comical hotel the fire alarm just added an extra element of humour to the whole production.

 

“The audience were fantastic, as were the actors who jumped back into the play with gusto and received a standing ovation at the end.”