Early on in Only Fools and Horses the Musical, Sam Lupton’s uncanny evocation of David Jason’s Del Boy attempts to pawn ‘leaning Eiffel Tower of Pisa’ knock-offs to audience members in the front row. It’s a perfect capture of the iconic comedy favourite, tics and all, but does leave you wondering if the very concept of an Only Fools musical could itself be one of Del’s back-of-the-lorry hodge lodge schemes.

After all, who really wanted an adaptation of one of the definitive British sitcoms of all time into, of all things, a musical?

Well, a fair number, if the packed, sold out crowds at Wolverhampton’s Grand Theatre (for its entire week-long run) are any metric to go by.

With character and brand recognition clearly doing the heavy lifting in putting bums on seats, Only Fools transplants here as something akin to a ‘greatest hits’ collection of some of the show’s best character, one-liners and beats. Loosely following Del Boy’s meeting and romance with aspiring young actress Raquel (Georgina Hagen in a delightful turn) as younger brother Rodney (Tom Major) prepares to move out of the Trotter home to marry fiancé Cassandra (Nicola Munns, on dual role duty), there’s a lot of fun, familiar territory here for fans of the show. Who, let’s face it, would likely have it no other way.

John Sullivan’s snappy one-liners and biting sardonicism are on full show, the show leant an extension of its funny bone courtesy of Paul Whitehouse (who played Grandad in the West End) and Sullivan’s own son, Jim, souping things up a little for the stage. It’s relentlessly funny, even if it’s in a service to a plot that feels little like it’s doing little more than checking boxes.

Still, most of the fan favourites show up and are quite perfectly cast – Craig Berry has the audience cracking up from his trademark laugh alone, whilst Lee VG gets Roger Lloyd Pack’s dim-witted, monotone Trigger down pat. There are a veritable Reliant full of easter eggs and in-jokes peppered throughout; references to everything from Batman and Robin to chandeliers and, yes, that, iconic bar moment. And naturally, the Trotters’ own Reliant gets big cheers when it’s wheeled out on-stage midway through Act I.

Where Fools sticks close to the original show, it sings. It remains a whip-smart comedy with distinctive, brilliantly realised characters who bounce off of each other with relish. The plot and peril remain mostly surface level – Del Boy and Rodney’s quasi-paternal relationship and conflicts are perfunctory but do the job, and the danger introduced via Del’s scheming is kept mostly cheeky. Only Fools doesn’t need particularly high stakes or greater drama – that’s for those haughty West End types (on which note, a couple of fourth wall breaking nudges and winks around Raquel’s West End dreams sadly don’t quite land with the show going on tour outside of the big smoke).

“…remains a whip-smart comedy with distinctive, brilliantly realised characters who bounce off of each other with relish.”

Where the cracks in the merchandise begin to show are when appraising it as a musical. There are a couple of interesting numbers where it seems it is starting to make the most of the alternate medium. A spirited duet with Richard J Hunt as Del joins a matchmaking service, and a late-game ode to fertility by Boyce and Marlene (a spirited Nicola Munns‘ second role) briefly give a sense of an actual, well, musical. But elsewhere the musical interludes feel very stop-start, with several feeling like they peter out just as they’re really getting started. An almost psychedelic Act II number peering into the far future of Peckham 2024 via Trigger’s ‘amazing ball’ is about as high-concept and freewheeling as it gets (and is, admittedly, suitably bonkers).

But if it doesn’t really convince of either need nor purpose as a musical, the tub-thumping vim with which the show’s opening anthem is punched out to bookend the show, and strong vocals throughout from Lupton, Hagen, Hunt and Gloria Acquaah-Harrison in particular should keep the musically minded appeased. It’s just difficult to feel the whole thing wouldn’t fare better as a straight up comedy, with the extra time spent on musical numbers perhaps fleshing out the rather bare-bones narrative.

Alice Power’s rotating, bricolage staging and set certainly look the part, channeling everything from Hooky Street to the familiar interior of the Trotters choice of boozer, The Nag’s Head. Transitions are smooth and organic, and the whole thing very much looks and feels like a quality production. Leo Flint’s video backdrops accentuate senses of place, weather et al, without being overly distracting or obnoxious in the way some digital accents can be.

“Sam Lupton can absolutely carry a tune… but it’s his joyful, exuberant channeling of Jason that carries the day.”

But as per the original classic, the writing and the cast are the true MVPs. Sam Lupton can absolutely carry a tune (being a seasoned musical theatre veteran) but it’s his joyful, exuberant channeling of Jason that carries the day. It’s a wonderful comedic performance, stuffed with Del Boy’s clumsy misappropriation of language and irrepressible charm. Tom Major, much like Nicolas Lyndhurst in the original, gets the straighter, slightly less showy role, but is earnest and suitably whiney as frustrated young Rodney. Major showcases solid comedic chops and bounces off of Lupton well throughout. The supporting cast, including Philip Childs as the doddering Grandad, are all excellent, doing justice to a seminal ensemble of classic comedy greats.

If you can forgive the mostly forgettable songs (it forgoes an original Act I closer altogether in favour of plonking Bill Withers‘ ‘Lovely Day‘ in, instead), and slightly schismatic fusion of musical and comedy, Only Fools and Horses provides a legitimately funny and endearing evening of entertainment. Fans of the series will lap it all up, and likely not ask questions about whether or not they could’ve just watched it all at home on iPlayer.

Much like the Trotters themselves, it’s a little rough around the edges, gets itself in sticky wickets it didn’t really need to, but on the whole is packed with character and irresistible charm.

Consider yourself a plonker if you miss out.