Only Fools and Horses: The Musical – Review – York Grand Opera House

By Roger Crow, October 2024

Like many Only Fools and Horses fans, I was there at the start in 1981 when that first episode aired, and it seemed like another sitcom that could be here today and gone tomorrow. Given the ratings for season one, that was almost the case. But one of the big cheeses at the BBC trusted his gut over the ratings and gave a second run the green light. And that was that. Arguably the greatest British sitcom of the past 40-plus years was given a chance to flourish.

The series bowed out after 64 episodes in 2003, but the desire for more never diminished.

Adapting it for the stage was a little risky given the ensemble cast that needed to emulate those much-loved characters, and of course there’s the music. Once you get past John Sullivan’s magnificent theme song, ‘Hooky Street’, where do you go from there? The answer was take some cracking Chas and Dave numbers (but not the obvious ones because then it runs the risk of becoming a Chas and Dave jukebox musical); throw in Bill Withers’ ‘Lovely Day’, add a dash of ‘Holding Back the Years’ (beautifully sung by Gloria Acquaah-Harrison), and then add some original numbers, by the likes of Paul Whitehouse and the much-missed Chas Hodges among others.

“Carved into the bedrock”

Since 2019, the OFAH musical has entertained thousands in London, and now the UK tour is giving the rest of us a chance to enjoy the fun, with York’s premiere being an absolute delight.

Okay, the result is an interesting mish-mash. Though some of the songs are good, for me at least there’s no stand-out track, though ‘Bit of a Sort’ is a cracker. Which might be a problem with a show featuring new characters, but these are carved into the bedrock of British showbusiness, so it’s less important.

Alice Power’s set is hugely impressive: a mix of physical Peckham streets; a recreation of the Nag’s Head pub, and the iconic Trotter flat, complete with garish 1980s decor. A video screen helps expand the assorted sets to fine effect.

Wisely the setting is circa 1988, when the show was arguably at its peak. Rodney (Tom Major) and Cassandra (Nicola Munns) are together; Grandad (Philip Childs) is still around, and Del (Sam Lupton) has yet to meet Raquel (Georgina Hagen). And the wide boy brains of Trotters Independent Traders looking for love is the main backbone of the story. He joins a dating agency, which leads to one of the show’s best original numbers, the aforementioned ’Bit of a Sort’. When his brother and fiancé decide to tie the knot but need a deposit for a place of their own, Del also takes out a two-grand loan from local gangsters. The aftermath creates a much-needed degree of poignancy that permeated some of the best episodes.

“Joy to watch”

Like Hamilton, the delivery is so fast in the first act it’s a case of wanting to tell the cast to slow down so we can catch up, but there’s no complaint when it comes to that script. The gags come thick and fast, and some we’ve probably heard before, but it matters little. Jim Sullivan (son of John) and the genius that is Paul Whitehouse have done a great job of cherry-picking the best from John Sullivan’s beloved scripts and adapting them for the stage, and that cast are terrific.

It’s hard not to smile at the idea of Tom Major (Rodney) selling ‘David Bowie LPs’. (A shame there’s no actors called Sane Aladdin or Stardust Ziggy). Physically and tonally, Tom is a great ‘Rodders’, and Sam Lupton’s Del-Boy looks like actor Neil Pearson, but he does such a terrific job of channelling David Jason circa 1988, you’d think the ABBA Voyage effects geniuses had worked their magic again. The height, shape, patter, swagger, vocals, comic timing and mannerisms are all there, so it’s a joy to watch. As is the rest of the cast.

Philip Childs’ Grandad is rather good, and Craig Berry’s Boycie has that nasal, machine gun laugh down to a tee. Remarkably it never ceases to raise a laugh. And Nicola Munns’ Marlene is a dead ringer for Sue Holderness at times. A sub-plot about Boycie and Marlene trying for a baby features the most inventive use of fireworks you’ll see all year. Less successful is a song from Trigger (Lee VG) about a crystal ball poking fun at what life will be like in 2024. (There’s no use of said ball when there’s a reference about Bryan Adams’ classic ‘Everything I Do…’ three years before it was released).

“Terrific alternative”

It’s not a perfect show by any means, but it doesn’t outstay its welcome, and those characters are so beloved by so many, it’s almost impossible not to have a great night. Yes, there are references to chandeliers because of that classic episode, but there’s no room for the inflatable dolls gag, sadly. However, when the open bar hatch pratfall comes in The Nag’s Head, its executed beautifully, and inevitably brings the house down.

Due to some doubling up on the acting front (Nicola Munns brilliantly plays Marlene and Cassandra), Rodney’s bride is strangely absent from her own wedding, so it seems like Trotter junior is marrying a figment of his imagination, but again it hardly matters. Even without (a physical version of) that iconic Robin Reliant, there are enough winning elements to make the show come alive. (Sharp-eyed viewers may spot the Trotter mobile in one scene). And though used sparingly, Uncle Albert also makes an appearance. Some things are worth waiting for and he’s one of them.

A TV remake of Only Fools would be pointless, but on stage, where we can witness the fun unfold at a distance, it’s a terrific alternative. I can only hope some bright sparks like Jim Sullivan and Paul Whitehouse now adapt Minder as a musical, preferably premiering within the next 12 months. If they do, this time next year they could be millionaires.

For now, if you love a fun-packed couple of hours, then this is an absolute must-see.

‘Only Fools and Horses The Musical’ is at York Grand Opera House until 19th October