A Waldorf salad, a car that's tried it on once too often, and herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically.

If all these things mean something to you, then you probably know the evergreen sitcom Fawlty Towers which John Cleese brought the world in the 1970s with his then wife, Connie Booth.

Only 12 episodes were made, but now Cleese is back, with a new farce, which is also his stage writing debut - and he says it has similarities to Fawlty Towers.

"We made Fawlty Towers about 140 years ago," he said. "We only did 12 but we put so much time into each one - we used to take six weeks to write an episode. But farce is my greatest love - Fawlty Towers consisted of 12 farces - and I think UK audiences will love this hilarious classic.”

The play, Bang Bang! which comes to the Orchard Theatre in Dartford in April as part of a national tour, is presented by Exeter Northcott Theatre and Dermot McLaughlin Productions.

A blend of French farce and Fawlty Towers. Bang Bang! stars Tessa Peake-Jones, Tony Gardner and Wendi Peters.

It may even star Cleese briefly, though he admits: "I might have a go at it, but I've just turned 80 so I don't want to do it every night. I'd be completely exhausted."

When Leontine, a respectable society lady, discovers that she’s been hoodwinked by her husband, Duchotel, who’s always pretending to go hunting but really chasing after other ‘prey’, she vows to take

revenge on the philanderer! But while Duchotel’s away, his lifelong fried comes calling – and he’s on the hunt too.

Will Leontine get caught in his sights, or instead set a trap of her own?

Secrets unravel as the devilish Duchotel finds himself snared in a door-slamming, trouser-dropping, balcony-climbing night of chaos set amidst the stylish apartments of Paris.

So is it retro to be staging a farce?

"Well I don't really know what retro means. But the best farces were written in the 1900s. It is the first time I have written anything even remotely like a play, though this is an adaptation."

Tessa Peake-Jones became a household name as Raquel in the comedy Only Fools and Horses., while her extensive stage work includes the National Theatre and RSC.

Tony Gardner first made his name in comedy as part of the award-winning comedy duo Struck off and Die but has also appeared on TV in roles ranging from My Parents are Aliens to Last Tango in Halifax.

Wendi Peters is best known as Cilla Battersby in Coronation Street and is currently appearing in the West End smash-hit musical Big. She also appeared in panto at the Marlowe Theatre in 2017.

Daniel Buckroyd, artistic director and chief executive at Exeter Northcott Theatre added: “We’re thrilled to be working with this fantastic team to launch this first UK tour of Bang Bang! partly because it’s such a funny script and we’ve assembled such a great cast, but also because regional producing venues are the life-blood of UK theatre."

The show is at the Orchard Theatre from Tuesday, April 14 to Saturday, April 18. Book at orchardtheatre.co.uk or call 01322 220000.

Read our full interview with John Cleese in the KM Group's What's On soon.

To find out what’s going on in the county and for all the latest entertainment news click here.