It’s both going to be sacrilege or celebration because the musical model of Only Fools and Horses hits Glasgow this week.
A distillation of 64 episodes, spanning the years 1981 to 2011, of John Sullivan’s beloved TV basic, a present typically voted one of the best British comedy ever, it’s additionally both bravery or bravado to deal with one thing so beloved.
Choosing to focus primarily on the 1988 episode Dates, the place Del finds the love of his life Raquel, Sullivan’s son Jim and comedy legend Paul Whitehouse have created this musical stage model.
So it’s again to Peckham, South London within the Nineteen Eighties. Rodney and Cassandra are making ready for his or her marriage ceremony, Marlene and Boycie are attempting to conceive, and Del Boy decides to go to a relationship company spurred on by mate Trigger’s latest successes.
Fans might be delighted to know that each one the acquainted characters and catchphrases are right here in addition to among the legendary set-pieces. There’s misguidedly optimistic Del (Sam Lupton), hapless Rodney (Tom Major), loveable Granddad (Paul Whitehouse), Trigger (Lee VG), Boycie (Craig Berry), Marlene (Nicola Munns), Mickey (Peter Watts) and Raquel (Georgina Hagan). The Peckham excessive rise flat is right here, as is The Nags Head boozer and the infamous, yellow Reliant Robin. As properly because the comfortably acquainted, there’s are flash-forward to the gentrification of Peckham in 2024 a world so very completely different from the world of Only Fools, all brew pubs, artisan cheesemakers and specialist espresso roasters.
Woven round these acquainted components are round 20 songs spanning the well-known theme tune, songs from the pen of Paul Whitehouse, Chas & Dave, in addition to Bill Wither’s Lovely Day to a poignant model of Simply Red’s Holding Back the Years. There’s a little bit of music corridor and hints of Lionel Bart and even A Chorus Line within the unique songs. Despite the variability, or perhaps due to it, a few of them sit considerably incongruously inside the story. None notably distinguishing themselves and at instances are plonked in the course of the narrative the place they add little to the motion or expertise.
What the manufacturing does have in its favour is a primary charge forged. Sam Lupton sounds eerily like David Jason and nails each little mannerism, as do Lee VG and Dave Berry as sound and look a like Trigger and Boycie. Paul Whitehouse is a loveable Grandad and Tom Major’s Rodney is first rate, if somewhat forgettable as Rodney.
Sullivan and Whitehouse have carried out a good job in reviving this much-loved materials. The musical actually feeds the viewers’s urge for food for nostalgia and a craving for comedy of this high quality again on our screens however the considerably rambling story lacks the heat of the unique. There’s a number of pointless filler, making it really feel a tad over lengthy. There’s loads of humour, but in addition shed-loads of pathos which comes at typically jarring moments within the storyline.
The promote out crowd on a depressing Monday evening is testomony to the pulling energy of Only Fools. It is likely to be lacking the magic of the unique, but it surely’s a nice sufficient piece of escapism and an fulfilling journey down Memory Lane.
Runs till 1 November 2024 | Image: Johann Persson
