Only Fools and Horses the Musical review: A lovely jubbly night at Milton Keynes Theatre

I’d often wondered if a musical version Britain’s best-loved sitcom could possibly live up to the television series. After last night’s fabulous performance at Milton Keynes Theatre, the honest answer is a resounding yes.

From the moment you hear the words ‘Stick a pony in me pocket’, you’re immediately back in John Sullivan’s 1980s Peckham with the Trotter family and all the other characters.

Written as a stage musical by Sullivan’s son Jim and Paul Whitehouse, the show includes many of the familiar storylines and locations around Peckham during the ‘Yuppy’ era. Obviously we visit Nelson Mandela House, The Nag’s Head and Peckham Market while also getting to meet all the well-known characters whose likeness to the original cast members is remarkable.

While Sam Lupton had the night off, it was Andrew Bryant who took on the role of Del Boy made famous by Sir David Jason. He simply steals the show with a lovely jubbly performance.

With every flawless word and mannerism, he really is brilliant while the chemistry between him and stage newcomer Tom Major – who plays his ‘dipstick’ younger brother Rodney (or ‘Dave’ according to Trigger!) – is magic. Major’s portrayal of Rodney – his awkward movements, voice, physique and antics – is so perfect that he could easily have been mistaken for a young Nicholas Lyndhurst.

Philip Childs takes on the comedic roles of both Grandad and Uncle Albert to perfection – the former still troubled with his haemorrhoids! – while like Childs, the brilliant Georgina Hagan reprises her role as Del’s future missus Raquel, both actors having been in the original West End production.

I can’t say too much regarding the overall storyline other than to say it will be rather familiar to anyone who ever watched the series. I certainly loved Nicola Munns’ two great portrayals of both Rodney’s intended Cassandra and of Boycie’s long-suffering wife Marlene, whom she played to perfection.

Craig Berry is also a perfect diamond geezer as Boycie and he even sounds like the late John Challis as he and Marlene give parenthood one last shot at the fertility clinic.

Naturally all the other Only Fools characters make an appearance with Lee VG as the lovable Trigger (who even has a date!) and Bradley John as Denzil, while Darryl Paul and Peter Watts play infamous local gangsters Tony and Danny Driscoll.

Meanwhile completing the cast is an assortment of characters – including Cockney wide boy Mickey Pearce and Mike the Nag’s Head barman – are Rhys Owen, Richard J Hunt, Gloria Acquaah-Harrison, Kieran Andrew, Katie Paine, Amanda Coutts, Christopher Arkeston and Oscar Dobbins.

I really loved the music and clever lyrics mostly written by Paul Whitehouse and the late Chas Hodges (of Chas & Dave fame) while even the show’s theme tune takes on a different twist. For me the highlight numbers are Being A Villain performed by the Driscolls plus Where Have All the Cockneys Gone? which was performed by Grandad. Raquel’s I Am That Girl and Del’s Bon Jour were other standout numbers as was Simply Red’s Holding Back the Years sung by Gloria Acquaah-Harrison as Mrs Oboolo.

Only Fools and Horses The Musical really is a celebration of the best of British television comedy brought to the stage.

Until March 29. Visit atgtickets.com/MiltonKeynes to book.