YouTube Transcription #24 Fawlty Towers

Fawlty Towers was the most successful ever British sitcom, written by and starring John Cleese of Monty Python fame.

Mr Fawlty: Have you finished?
Wife: Erm, yes.
Fawlty: Thank you.
Husband: My wife…
Wife: I think those prawns might be a bit off.
Fawlty: Oh, I don’t think so.
Wife: Well they do taste rather funny.
Fawlty: Well, no one else has complained.
Wife: Well I really do think they’re off.
Fawlty: But you’ve eaten half of them.
Wife: Well I didn’t notice at the start.
Fawlty: You didn’t notice at the start.
Wife: No, well it was the sauce. I wasn’t sure.
Fawlty: So you ate half to make sure?
Husband: Look, my wife thinks they’re off.
Fawlty: Well what about… do you want another first course?
Wife: No, thank you.
Husband: Are you sure?
Wife: No, really, I’ll just have the main.
Husband: Well we’ll cancel it.
Fawlty: Cancel it… I’ll deduct it from the bill, is that what you mean?
Husband: Well, as it’s inedible.
Fawlty: Well only half of it’s inedible, apparently.
Husband: Well, deduct half now, and if my wife brings the other half up during the night we’ll claim the balance in the morning!

Expressions used:
‘Off’ means (in this case) not fresh, old. There is also a different meaning of ‘not available’. For example, the waiter might say, “Sorry, the chicken is off,” meaning it has sold out or is unavailable for another reason.
‘Bring up’ means to vomit. In a different situation it can mean ‘mention’.
‘Claim’ means to take something which you have a right to. For example, ‘an insurance claim’ when the insurance company must pay money to the customer.
‘Course’ in English means each dish of a meal. For example, a three-course meal has a starter, a main dish and a dessert. There are several other meanings of ‘course’, of course!