Vasco Emauz as Marty McFly in Back to the Future the Musical. Photo by Matt Crockett.Luckless in life, Marty McFly (Vasco Emauz) finds himself transported back in time thanks to the wacky inventions of quirky scientist Doc Brown (Cory English). Accidentally meddling with the course of history, Marty must work with Doc in quite literally a race against time to save his existence and transport him back to the future!
Gale’s refreshing take on the 80s cult classic film does enough in updating the script to appeal to younger audiences while keeping in the iconic references of the original film to appease the die hard fans. While protective fans might be apprehensive to see the film adapted to stage, the addition of contemporary humour (maybe introducing a Covid joke in there) that is simple, yet executed to perfection, makes the production a worthy family night out while not trying to imitate the film like-for-like.
The strong principal cast captures the essence of the beloved film characters charmingly. Orlando Gibb’s nerdy, awkward George McFly is the perfect love letter to the dorky yet lovable George played by Crispin Glover. Similarly, Cory English’s eccentric, highly-characterised Doc lends itself to the stage, where English’s performance establishes himself as a true entertainer. There are also developments to what were lesser-developed characters in the film, with Goldie Wilson (C.J. Borger), earning a well received feel-good musical number as the wannabe first black mayor of Hill Valley.
The most attractive part of the show has be the technology used in it, with Tim Hatley’s ambitious production design creating an impressive sensory experience. Layers and layers of AV projections, mixed with strobe lighting and pyrotechnics immerse the audience when Doc’s DeLorean car zooms to that famous speed of 88 miles per hour starts to defy the laws of physics for the first time. Likewise, the consistent stream of elaborate stage sets swiftly guide the narrative from location to location; from Doc’s workshop and a high school dance to the midst of a storm on top of a large clock tower. Each new set piece is just as intricate as the last, adding to the production value of the show.
Settled in its home at The Adelphi until at least 27 July 2025, Back To The Future The Musical makes for a perfect family theatre trip. Packed with high energy numbers, comedic timing and spectacular stage stunts, I would not be surprised to see this continuing its run for years to come.
