CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS TO BACK TO THE FUTURE THE MUSICAL
Playing at Adelphi Theatre until 11 February 2024
Between 1985 and 1990, three films were released in the Back To The Future franchise, starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. Now, after several years of trying to get a musical production off the ground, Back To The Future The Musical, has opened at London’s Adelphi Theatre and it is a spectacle to be seen!
Writer Bob Gale had been toying with the idea of writing a time travel film for a few years but couldn’t quite come up with a storyline. It was only after he found his father’s high school yearbook in the loft that he thought of the idea of being able to go back in time and go to school with your parents to see what they were really like. Then, Marty McFly was born! A rock ‘n’ roll teenager who is accidentally transported back to 1955 in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his friend, Dr Emmett Brown. But before he can return to 1985, Marty must make sure his high school-aged parents fall in love in order to save his own existence.
Olly Dobson and Roger Bart perfectly embody the characters of Marty and Doc, mimicking the film whilst also making the roles their own. Rosanna Hyland and Hugh Coles are a lovely couple as parents George and Lorraine, delighting the audience when they finally fall in love. Courtney-Mae Briggs, whilst a very small part, is great as girlfriend Jennifer and Cedric Neal steals the show as Mayor, Goldie Wilson.
Musically, after a slow start to the first half, things picked up and got better and better. Whilst mostly original songs, the show does include the iconic hits from the film ‘Earth Angel’, Johnny B. Goode and ‘The Power of Love’ and the new songs were mostly enjoyable (although ‘My Myopia’ seemed a little bizarre).
Back To The Future The Musical is a must-see nostalgia trip for fans of the original film, which stays true to the storyline and includes all your favourite lines and moments. The set design is groundbreaking, using over 300 million LED pixels and a flying car that makes Elphaba’s Defying Gravity moment in Wicked look tame. It’s a good, fun show that I am sure will play all around the world for many years to come.
★★★★
Reviewed by West End Wilma
