Only Fools & Horses
Hailed as one of the best TV comedy series of all time, the sold out audience at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre certainly cemented the fact that there is still a lot of love for this comedy classic with its iconic characters and unwavering laughs. Only Fools and Horses The Musical takes many highlights of the 1980’s smash hit to take us on a trip down memory lane.
Firstly, the casting is absolutely spot on. From Del Boy, to Rodney, Boycie and Marlene, every single character was instantly recognisable, if not from their costuming, but also from their distinctive voices. The laughs come thick and fast with this incredibly talented cast.
There is a lot of Only Fools history to try and cram into one show, however some of the most iconic moments were condensed down for a cushdy evening of entertainment. We find Del Boy looking for love, Rodney and Cassandra getting married, Boycie and Marlene trying to get pregnant, and Trigger being exceptionally proud of his broom that he has been using for 20 years…..any true fan will know the rest!
Sam Lupton as Del Boy was every inch the brash, over the top wannabe yuppie who completely embodied the role made famous by David Jason. The mannerisms, movements and voice were on point. Alongside Tom Major as Rodney, the pair were so believable as their characters with Major encapsulating the frustrated, undervalued brother perfectly. A complete stand out was Lee VG as Trigger. The comedic timing was exemplary. The portrayal of this somewhat dim character who insists on calling Rodney ‘Dave’ and enters into a conversation about 5 minutes after it’s ended made for some exceptionally funny moments.
With book, lyrics and score by the original writer Jim Sullivan, along with TV favourite Paul Whitehouse, the musical is 100% true to the TV show we all know and love. The jokes come thick and fast and there are many, many lines spoken verbatim that will be extremely familiar to any fan. These moments were particularly well received by the audience and felt like a big warm hug, as this show was just that, a chance to reminisce at how brilliant Only Fools and Horses was, and still is.
Being a musical there are some very catchy tunes which encompassed that ‘Cockney knees up’ vibe well. We were also treated to the Bill Withers classic ‘Lovely Day’, and Simply Red’s ‘Holding Back the Years’, which took me slightly by surprise, within the mix of original material, however they were very welcome interludes, once again reminding us of pivotal moments from the TV show.
The set, designed by Alice Power took us straight inside The Nags Head, and the Trotters flat, complete with those brown and orange curtains, and home bar often frequented by Del Boy to make a cocktail…..with an umbrella of course. The use of video projection by Leo Flint added an extra element to the overall look of the set and it was like looking straight into a TV set.
My only little gripe was the lighting on the evening and the missed spotlights for some of the characters with illumination not being in the right place at the right time, which was a real shame, but nothing that can’t be rectified.
All in all, this show is a wonderful evening of TV nostalgia from one of the country’s best loved shows and you’d be a plonker to miss it!
This show was reviewed on the 21st October 2024 at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre where it runs until the 26th October 2024. The run is mostly sold out, but you can look for last minute tickets here : ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES THE MUSICAL | Wolverhampton Grand Theatre
Full tour details can be found here: Only Fools and Horses - The Hit Musical / UK & Ireland Tour
Review written by Emma Rowley
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