ONLY FOOLS MUSICAL JUST LOVELY JUBBLY, SAYS BOYCIE
ONLY Fools And Horses The Musical will allow everyone to “have a good laugh” the actor behind Boycie said last night.
Speaking at its West End premiere, original cast member John Challis said the show would even give the Prime Minister a much-needed break from the turbulence of British politics.
The 76-year-old, who played acerbic car salesman Boycie in the hit BBC comedy, said: “There is so much love for it out there, across all the generations, all sorts of people, all walks of life. I can actually hear that on the street.
Laugh
“People in this day and age, very difficult times, they just want to sit and go and have a good laugh.
“It has tapped into that, it’s a very good time to do it, and I think we need it.”
Only Fools And Horses The Musical stars Paul Whitehouse as Grandad, Tom Bennett as Del Boy Trotter and Ryan Hutton as his brother Rodney. Boycie is played by Jeff Nicholson.
It was conceived by series creator John Sullivan, who died in 2011, and continued by his son Jim, with Whitehouse co-writing.
The late Chas Hodges of Chas And Dave provided additional music.
Cheeky Challis said Theresa May might enjoy unwinding with a trip to the theatre. “At the end, it just made you
Lovely jubbly! Ray Winstone and Arlene Phillips enjoy fun last night
smile and think ‘it’s not so bad’,” he said.
“It’s embodied in Del Boy dusting himself off, getting up and having another go.
“Maybe Theresa May could do with a bit of that spirit.”
Celebrities enjoying last night’s premiere included exStrictly judge Arlene Phillips, actor Ray Winstone, Call The Midwife’s Helen George and comic Harry Enfield.
Meanwhile Nicholas Lyndhurst dashed fans’ hopes of a TV return. The actor, 57, who played Rodney, said: “John was the driving force of the show and we have also lost quite a few cast members now.
“I don’t think I could do it without them and I certainly couldn’t do it without John.”
Neither Lyndhurst nor Del Boy actor Sir David Jason was at last night’s launch.
● The show at the Theatre Royal Haymarket runs until August 31.