FAWLTY RECKONING

Happy anniversary, Basil and Sybil!

Today marks the 30th anniversary for comedy classic 'Fawlty Towers'.

There's a great story about the show - its history and impact - on the BBC's website. And there I found the following excerpt which touched on principles of Toobworld-building: Prunella Scales theorizes about the past history for Mr. and Mrs. Fawlty, and John Cleese offers an opinion on what the future held for Basil after the series ended.

'Prunella Scales said she had firm ideas about their dynamics as a couple. "I think it was my idea that she (Sybil) should be less posh than he was.

"I thought what she went for in him was his poshness, but that her parents had run a small boarding house and therefore knew about hotel management which he didn't.

"She was the professional one, but he had grander plans than hers.

"I don't remember ever talking to John about this, but my idea was that Basil had completed his National Service and, with his de-mob money, went out and met Sybil in a bar in Eastbourne or somewhere.

"He thought she was a glamorous barmaid, she thought he was posh, and it went from there."

And what would Basil be doing now, 30 years after Fawlty Towers first opened its doors?

"Still trying to run a hotel and getting it wrong," Cleese concluded. '

I think that when such speculation comes from key people involved in the creation of the characters, then I think their theories should be given full credence over others that might be found - in fanfic, for example.

Here's the full text of the article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4246904.stm

BCnU!
Tele-Toby