‘Lovely Jubbly’: Only Fools and Horses The Musical at Oxford’s New Theatre

Freelance reporter Jessica Durston has composed a review after enjoying the press night of Only Fools and Horses The Musical at the New Theatre in Oxford.

‘Stick a pony in me pocket. I’ll fetch the suitcase from the van.’

Name a more iconic opening to a television theme song. I’ll wait. 

And iconic is the keyword here for the Only Fools and Horses musical. 

As the excited theatre-goers filed into the New Theatre’s beautiful art-deco auditorium, top chart hits from the 1980s were piped in to set the tone and take listeners back to the decade when the eponymous hit television show first aired. 

Audience members were also greeted by an impressive empty set design from Alice Power, that brought the dingy backstreets of Peckham to life. The Nag’s Head pub sign and image of a tower block of flats projected on a small digital screen in the background, helped to create that instantly-recognisable sense of place. 

The empty preset stage was soon filled with bodies, and by a permanent fixture in the form of a wonderful BSL interpreter. It was very refreshing to see this on offer for the first time at the press night of a popular stage show. The opening number of course was the television show’s theme song, originally performed by its writer, John Sullivan. It was a nice touch that the musical commenced just like an episode back in 1981. The theme song was partially reprised by the ensemble during each scene transition, in a smooth and uniform fashion. 

So turning attention towards the cast, Sam Lupton was an absolute scene stealer with his incredibly accurate portrayal of the cheeky and loveable ‘Del Boy’. He had his gestures and idiosyncrasies down to a tee, and was reeking of charisma - as strong as Del’s cheap aftershave. He had many exuberant and incredibly enjoyable musical numbers which invoked a raucous reaction from the audience, including ‘Mange Tout’ and ‘Bit of a Sort.’

Tom Major took on the role of Rodney, and unbelievably, this show’s tour marks his professional debut. He embodied Nicholas Lyndhurst’s awkward charm and closely replicated his nuanced London accent with ease. I’m sure this will not be the last you hear of him going forwards! Tom and Sam had good on stage chemistry, and displayed that bickering camaraderie that the Trotter brothers are famous for. 

To complete the Trotter family roster, Philip Childs was cast as Grandad. Like his familial counterparts, he had obviously worked hard to get Lennard Pearce’s soft cockney inflection down. His close characterisation of the elderly gentleman meant he was able to balance the chaotic Rodney/Del partnership, and add the light comic relief and the sweetness that Grandad is known for. He was special on stage.

Furthermore, Georgina Hagen was a good choice for the audacious yet sweet-natured Raquel Turner. She was able to effectively bounce off of Sam Lupton’s Del Boy, and show the more sensitive side of Raquel - that deep down she is not a far cry from the little girl growing up with dreams of great stardom. Her vocal performances were stirring and she owned the stage during her solo numbers. 

I’m pleased to say the incredible impressions of the much treasured tv cast members didn’t stop with the aforementioned foursome. It was evident that the entire cast put copious amounts of effort and time into studying the series, and the mannerisms and speech patterns of each of their individual characters. Amanda Coutts and Peter Watts exhibited brilliant characterisation as Boycie and Marlene, and garnered large laughs from the crowds in the house. Amanda had the extra challenge of also playing Cassandra and effectively having to shift into Marlene's opposite number between scenes where this was required. She was terrific as both. 

Additionally, side characters Trigger (Lee VG), Mickey Pearce (Chris Arkeston), and the Driscoll brothers (Chris Arkeston and Darryl Paul) were anything but that. Each member of the show’s small cast felt integral and three-dimensional. Lee VG was handed a tricky challenge to take on the role of Trigger as he is a firm fan favourite, with some of the most idiotic (and most hilarious) lines in the television show. He grabbed the opportunity to play the beloved imbecile with both hands, and delivered a fantastic performance - particularly during his kooky solo song ‘Gaze Into My Ball.’ 

I think overall the female cast members outshone their male counterparts vocally, performing soulfully and strong throughout. A particular standout was Gloria Acquaah-Harrison as Mrs Obooko, with her powerful rendition of Simply Red’s ‘Holding Back The Years.’

When emulating something well-known and well-loved, there is always a danger that the hommage can become tacky and hollow. This was not the case for this musical. Famed jokes and references from the original television series were peppered throughout the show, and the nostalgia and fan service was there without the creators cheapening the end product. Co-writers Paul Whitehouse and Jim Sullivan really have helped to create something special with this musical.

In-keeping with the original tv material and working towards verisimilitude, the cast’s costume and props were kept simple and reminiscent, and the lighting was bright and classic. It was like watching actors on a well-lit television set with the effective use of staging. There were often moments where I would forget that I was not, in fact, watching a forgotten past episode of the televised series.

Although this musical is built upon the foundations of slapstick comedy and old-fashioned fun, I felt there were also modern emotional injections and reflections with some of the more heartfelt songs, and with Del Boy’s soliloquies to his mother. The stage show probes inside the heads of these respected and recognisable characters and explores the sides of them you don’t always see within the tv show. 

The musical is rolling with the traditional humour and brashness, but also taking care to show depth and emotion, almost modernising the source material by adding a third dimension to it, with these more emotional angles.

Sure it’s a treat for fans of Only Fools, but I feel anyone looking for an evening of good-hearted fun will love this show. Don’t be a ‘dipstick’ or a ‘plonker’ and nab yourself a ticket before they all sell out!

More information about the Only Fools and Horses musical can be found online at https://onlyfoolsonstage.com/ 

More information about what’s on at Oxford’s New Theatre can be found online at https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-theatre-oxford/