Meet the Actors- #1 Prunella Scales

Welcome to the first in our series of ‘Meet the Actors’, which will span the next 6 weeks. We are introducing the talented actors who provided the voices for our lively characters in The Canterbury Tales attraction! The Canterbury Tales has been running since 1987, and still uses the incredible voice acting we recorded at the time.

We think you might recognise our first actor… Prunella Scales, CBE!

A British actor born in 1932, Prunella is most famous for starring in one particular British sitcom in the 1970s. The sitcom, set on the ‘English Riveria’ that is Torquay, is a paradigm of British comedy. By some, it is so loved that quotes have seeped into into everyday language and conversation. It is of course Fawlty Towers, in which Prunella plays Basil Fawlty’s much put-upon wife.

Though best known for her role as Sybil Fawlty, Prunella has achieved a myriad of successes in both TV series and films. From her first role as Lydia Bennet in the 1952 adaption of Pride and Prejudice and through a role in Coronation Street, a BAFTA award-nominated role as Queen Elizabeth II in A Question of Attribution, voice appearances in BBC Radio 4 sitcoms and much more, Prunella has proved herself a diverse and resilient performer.

More recently, Prunella has presented a documentary Great Canal Journeys alongside husband, Timothy West. Her spirited character and strength is abundantly clear, particularly in her current battle against dementia.

What better actor to voice the infamous Wife of Bath at The Canterbury Tales visitor attraction! The Wife of Bath, one of Chaucer’s more developed characters, is a complex expression of ideas, particularly surrounding feminism and female dominance. We are incredibly proud to have the voice talent talent of Prunella as part of our tales experience!

Book your tickets now to hear Prunella Scales as the Wife of Bath, plus many other talented stars, at The Canterbury Tales.