Book, Lyrics and Original Score: Paul Whitehouse and Jim Sullivan
Director: Caroline Jay Ranger
Only Fools and Horses is the latest cult classic to get the West End musical treatment. 
Paul Whitehouse and Jim Sullivan undertook the monumental task of condensing 22 years and 64 episodes of the beloved British sitcom Only Fools and Horses into a two-hour stage production. Their efforts have resulted in a show that largely succeeds in capturing the essence of the original series while adding new dimensions to appeal to modern audiences. This adaptation is both a tribute to the enduring legacy of the sitcom and a fresh take on its humor and characters.
The creators faced the unenviable challenge of selecting key moments from decades of material to satisfy long-time fans while ensuring a coherent narrative. Classic scenes, such as Del Boy’s iconic fall through the bar, are lovingly recreated and elicit hearty laughs from the audience. Audiences will be delighted by Boycie’s unmistakable laugh and Trigger’s hilarious inability to remember Rodney’s name, which remain as authentic as ever.
In its quest to add every iconic scene from the show, the narrative struggles to remain coherent. There is noticeable abandonment of the narrative thread in the second act, which feels like a collection of skits rather than a full story. Moments like Uncle Albert’s entrance, whilst funny appear to be tacked on. Despite the elements lacking in the quality of the book, the show is salvaged by its incredible cast.
Sam Lupton and Tom Major lead the cast as Del Boy and Rodney, respectively, and their performances are strikingly faithful to the original portrayals by David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst. Their attention to detail, from mannerisms to dialect, ensures that the characters resonate with the audience while avoiding caricature. Lupton leads the action with gusto, frequently breaking the fourth wall to address individual audience members, hilariously selling his “Leaning Eiffel Tower of Piza” to a lady in the front row. Both he and Major are incredible triple threat performers and the pacey first act is like a well-timed tennis match between the two of them.
The ensemble cast keeps the energy high throughout. Phillip Childs as Grandad brings comedic brilliance, while Peter Watts and Darryl Paul as the Driscoll brothers add moments of humour and levity. Watts in particular stands out with his plasticine face and cartoonish physicality. Lee VG’s trigger is delightfully gormless, keeping that tradition of English deadpan comedy truly alive. The cast is clearly having a ball on stage and has a fantastic company energy. They pop out of Alice Power’s exquisitely designed spinning set to ensure that the action has a constant flow of movement. The ingenuity of the set’s adaptability coupled with Caroline Jay Ranger’s tight direction makes the first half a rip-roaring romp down memory lane.
The musical numbers present a mixed experience. With 17 songs featured, only a handful stand out, Bit of a Sort, and Gaze into My Ball the obvious crowd pleasers. John Sullivan and Chaz Hodges do capture that East End magic with these original numbers, but the score is largely underwhelming and the songs’ placement within the narrative is often awkward. For instance, Gloria Acqaah-Harrison delivers a succulently soulful rendition of Holding Back the Years, but the song’s timing during a scene of Del Boy’s beating feels incongruous. Stuart Morley’s arrangements of musical interludes are as cobbled together as Del Boy’s market stall and haphazardly strewn into the narrative. Coupled with Denise Ranger’s fun but largely predictable choreography, this show is hardly going to set the theatre world alight with excitement, but it does enough to keep the audience’s feet tapping.
Despite its occasional shortcomings, Only Fools and Horses: The Musical succeeds in appealing to the legion of fans the sitcom has garnered over the decades, and ultimately, that is its draw. This musical is by no means a masterpiece in its construction but it is a bloody good night out!
Runs until 7 June 2025 and on tour
