Fresh from a record-breaking sold-out run in the West End, Only Fools And Horses The Musical brings some South London magic to Birmingham Hippodrome.

Breathing new life into a much-loved TV classic, this stage adaptation has everything you could want and more - laughs, catchy tunes and a host of well-known characters. Comedy legend Paul Whitehouse (Grandad) leads a stellar cast, and all the favourites are there: Del Boy, Rodney, Cassandra, Boycie, Raquel, Trigger - the list (like the laughter) goes on and on.

The show’s creators, Paul Whitehouse and Jim Sullivan (the son of John Sullivan, who originated the television series), have taken the best of the long-running sitcom and distilled it into a gem of a show. The script and the songs capture the charm and the cheekiness of 1980s Peckham, and the characters have lost none of their appeal.

The plot is delightfully simple: Rodney (Tom Major) is about to marry Cassandra (Nicola Munns). Older brother and wheeler-dealer Del Boy (Sam Lupton) borrows money from a couple of dodgy types to cover the deposit on a flat for the loved-up couple. Rodney’s impending nuptials remind Del Boy that he is on his own, so he signs up with a dating agency - under an assumed name, so that potential girlfriends don’t connect him with his somewhat dubious reputation...

Sam Lupton is perfect as Del Boy and often steals the show. His over-the-top energy and brash exterior hide a heart of gold, and we cannot fail to be delighted when he gets the girl. The characters are remarkably close to those we remember from TV: grumpy Grandad, a slightly geeky Rodney, flirty Marlene (Nicola Munns) and brash Boycie (Craig Berry) – all the old favourites are there. To delight the die-hard fans, there are many, many references to memorable moments from the original series - Trigger’s (Lee VG) broom is a running joke, as is his insistence that Rodney’s real name is Dave. To say more might be to spoil surprises, but suffice it to say that anybody who loved the television series will be delighted by this dynamic, joyful production.

If you want a piece of this particular bargain, then don’t hang about; some performances of the show’s two-week run at the Hippodrome are already sold out, with remaining tickets moving fast. So stick a pony in your pocket, fetch the suitcase from the van and head back to 1980s Peckham for a good ol’ cockney knees-up!

5 stars

Only Fools And Horses The Musical was reviewed by Rachel Smith on Tuesday 1 April at Birmingham Hippodrome, where it shows until Saturday 12 April.