Only Fools and Horses The Musical: When Peckham came to Sunderland for a ‘lovely jubbly’ evening

When the nights turn dark and cold, little compares to the comforting feeling of settling down on the sofa for an episode or two of your favourite programme with a cup of tea.

But would Paul Whitehouse and Jim Sullivan’s adaptation of the beloved BBC sitcom translate to stage, bringing our favourite flavours and moments of the show to a new audience?

The short answer is yes - but do read on for the longer answer!

Why do ‘Only Fools and Horses’ work?

Fans of the TV show will not be disappointed; the two-hour production takes audiences on a laugh-filled romp through Del Boy’s (Sam Lupton) and Rodney’s (Tom Major) quest for love, with hiccups and pitfalls along the way as Grandad watches on from his chair in front of the microwave.

The whole gang - including Trigger, Boycie and Denzil - are present and correct as Rodney and Cassandra (Nicola Munns) plan their wedding, while Del embarks on his search for a ‘sort’ with the help of a dating agency and finds Raquel (Georgina Hagen).

I was keen to see how a television programme with such a back catalogue of episodes would be transformed to scratch the itch of the most die-hard fans, while serving up something funny and fresh for the uninitiated amongst the audience.

And judging by the laughs ringing out from the stalls up to the gallery, the production hit the mark for both lots of viewers.

In moments, Lupton’s Derek Trotter was almost more Del than the original; the talk was smooth, the charm was flowing and the French wasn’t exactly French-ing - but in the best possible way (mange tout, mange tout).

Oh, Rodney. We’ve got a soft spot for you! The role is Tom Majors’ professional debut - but you would never know it. He’s endearing, he’s funny and he’s a little bit lost, too, as he works at finding his way in the world away from Del and Grandad. You root for him to get his happy ending and laugh more with him, than at him.

Back to the laughs, eagle-eyed fans of the show will not be disappointed with the way Easter eggs weave through both acts. I won’t spoil it for those still to attend, but suffice it to say there will be ample in the mix for you to recognise.

Full credit and endless compliments to the original songs created by Whitehouse and Sullivan; they slot in seamlessly with Hooky Street and Chas & Dave’s Margate, giving you the feeling that you somehow can’t remember

which episode they featured in. I really loved Marriage & Love to kick off Act II, and one of Grandad’s star turns in Where Have All The Cockneys Gone?

The theatre’s section of High Street West certainly became a slice of South London for the evening - and it was lovely jubbly!

Only Fools and Horses The Musical is at Sunderland Empire until Saturday, November 30.