It’s time to don your flat cap and take a cushty visit to Peckham this week – as Only Fools and Horses The Musical brings cockney charm to the Grand Opera House York stage.
Delivering a heartwarming and hilarious trip down memory lane, Del Boy and Rodney are ready for yet another misadventure, the musical kind – and long time fans of the TV series will be far from disappointed.
This stage adaptation, written by Paul Whitehouse and Jim Sullivan, feels fantastically familiar. With recognisable characters and memorable gags, for many it will feel like stepping into another erratic episode.
Only Fools and Horses The Musical is at the Grand Opera House York from Monday 14 to Saturday 19 October.
As we walked off the streets of York, we wandered straight into the 1980’s and the Nags Head – one the many playing fields for Trotter and co’s escapades. As the production continued we saw the staging cleverly rotate to take us to each well known location in swift and smooth transitions, only helping to keep the upbeat and fast-paced feel of the show.
Sam Lupton lead the way as our cheeky Del Boy; with a heart of (fools) gold, abundance of optimism and a gift of the gab, he carried each scene fantastically and had the audience in the palm of his hands.
Tom Major made his professional debut as Rodney, and I cannot imagine anyone else portraying this awkwardly endearing younger brother better. Together their chemistry was unmatched, creating flawless back-and-forth dialogue and their voices blending beautifully in their duets.
Philip Childs completed the family trio as Grandad, in this beloved reflective role. I particularly enjoyed his vulnerable monologues to the audience, allowing for moments of calm contemplation amongst the ongoing chaos.
Of course the portrayals didn’t end there! Lee VG’s hysterical Trigger, Craig Berry’s sniggering Boycie and Georgina Hagen’s hopeful Raquel were just some of the familiar faces we were happily reunited with.
From the moment the lights went down, the stage was filled with a talented ensemble, who magically multiroled their way through the narrative. Their overflowing enthusiasm guaranteed the show’s success.
And the audience’s response only cemented this; from the impromptu sing-along as the iconic theme first commenced, to the eruption of laughter after each recognisable quick quip. The audience often knew what was coming, and whilst this increased their excitement, it did not bring any limit to their roaring reactions.
The musical numbers mostly helped inject life into the show, with instant ear-worms and crowd pleasers at the ready. ‘Bit of a Sort’, Lupton’s duet with dating agent Richard J Hunt was simply genius – a standout number which had the audience tapping their toes along.
‘Where Have All The Cockney’s Gone’ and ‘That’s What I Like’ helped to showcase the company and band’s talent, who were led wonderfully by musical director Rachel Murphy.
This musical may be a dose of nostalgic nonsense, but it’s a dose you don’t want to miss! Tickets are selling fast, so book now to avoid missing Del Boy’s best offering yet.
Tickets start from £15 and are available from the Grand Opera House website.