It’s been years in the making and finally in 2023 I was able to find a day to go and check out Back to the Future the Musical and now my concept of time and theatre has been changed for all of eternity. Here’s my Back to the Future the Musical review.
Taking longer to get to the stage than all three films took to make the musical has been catapulted to stardom and beyond with a feature on Broadway but this musical completely changes the concept of what a musical is all about and theatre as I know it has been ruined forever because absolutely nothing will top this time travelling spectacle!
Every song has a new scene, every scene has depth and no matter where you sit (We were right at the back) the view is incredible as the stage is designed so perfectly with time travelling circuits surrounding the main stage that interact at various parts of the show.
Whilst some songs are quickly forgettable your eyes are always entertained with catchy dances, incredible fourth wall breaking comedy and sheer jaw-dropping moments of set interchange and design that make you wonder just how on earth this show has been created.
The immersion starts the second you enter the Adelphi Theatre and you’re greeted with some retro rethemed stalls and a retro cinema style entrance to the theatre before the show begins.
Upstairs you will find a Clocktower themed bar along with a merchandise stall selling all sorts of Back to the Future official merchandise as after all, this production is completely licensed with full backing and involvement from film director Robert Zemeckis and writer Bob Gale.
I picked up my £12 programme (yes, £12) and sat down in a beautiful setting right at the back (the cheap seats) but the joy of Back to the Future the Musical is that it doesn’t matter where you sit as everyone will get an incredible view of the stage and especially an incredible view of the special effects used throughout production.
Storytelling in depth is solely reliant on people who have watched the movies as without knowledge of the film the context of the story is a little blurry at times in-between dance numbers and a few liberties that have been taken with the story vs the original film.
From Marty and Doc to Major Goldie Wilson every actor was spot on in their portrayal of each character with Hugh Coles absolutely smashing the George McFly (Marty’s dad) character out of the park with an almost uncanny representation of Crispin Glover’s original character.
Not one scene feels under themed or under developed with vibrant sets that interchange wonderfully and paint the picture of Hill Valley present and Hill Valley past.
Special Effects feature throughout the movie but there are some absolutely jaw dropping moments that involve the DeLorean and its time travelling sequences but nothing will compare to the clock tower scene towards the end of the movie and the absolutely phenomenal illusion in the grand finale that had audiences absolutely shellshocked.
I’ve been pondering the grand finale in my head for the last 24 hours and I still cannot fathom how it was achieved.
it’s single handedly the most impressive thing I’ve ever witnessed during a stage production, absolutely incredible.
80s vibes ooze through the production and whilst the songs never truly hit the greatest of heights they’re still catchy enough to invest in.
One particular song that stood out for me was when Doc sings For the Dreamers, a song about those who have a dream but never quite achieve it but they persevere and never give up. I thought this song was truly beautiful and resonated quite personally for me.
Comedy is rife throughout Back to the Future Musical and its done so cleverly, scenes where Marty wakes up next to his mother (in the past) and she finds him cute is a hilarious song / interaction and Doc in general was the stand out comedic character throughout with one liners and some wonderful crowd pleasing moments.
Glenn Ballard and Alan Silvestri’s new songs are unquestionably overshadowed by the ones from the film with The Power of Love and Earth Angel still being the big hitters of the show.
The first act of the film goes at a frantic pace with the second act slowing things down a little as we explore the characters a bit more before the mind-blowing final act.
I’m still in disbelief at just how this musical was made and made so well that it never parodies the movie but pays tribute and brings it to life before your very eyes.
Where this musical goes you don’t need roads, you just switch off and indulge in the world of Hill Valley. A truly magical production that has been absolutely nailed from a technical standpoint.
Back to the Future the Musical is a technically advanced, special effects laden show that you absolutely need to check out because GREAT SCOTT it’s fun, 1.21 gigawatts of fun to be precise.
Enjoyed our Back to the Future the Musical review?
Back to the Future the Musical Review by Sean Evans
