‘Fawlty Towers’ Stage Play Won’t Have Racial Slurs, John Cleese Says: ‘The Literal-Minded Don’t Understand Irony’

John Cleese has announced that the stage adaptation of "Fawlty Towers" in London's West End will omit racial slurs. The play, adapted from the classic sitcom, excludes controversial language from the character Major Gowen, reflecting changes in societal attitudes towards race. Cleese emphasized the challenge of balancing comedy with modern sensibilities, noting that literal interpretations often miss the nuances of irony in humor. The revival is set in the 1970s to maintain the original context of the show.