BACK TO THE FUTURE THE MUSICAL follows the journey of Marty McFly, a teenager who accidentally travels back in 1955 in his friend Doc Brown’s DeLorean time machine. It is a time where his parents had not yet got together, nor did they look likely to, with his father being a very timid young man. Marty’s tasks are to bring his parents together romantically, so in time he can happen!, and then to liaise with Doc to fix the time travel ‘accident’, recreate the lightning bolt that powers the car, and race against time to get back to the present time, 1985.
More than ever, there is this propensity to turn very successful movies in to musicals. (Later this year PRETTY WOMAN THE MUSICAL will be opening this November at the Theatre Royal soon). In this case it is a good choice with the movie already having a great soundtrack, and with some great additional songs, the show makes for a great night.
There were many standout songs – Future Boy, a hyped up anthem kicking off the show, 21st Century breakdown where Doc and Marty bang on about time travel, Never Too Late, a power ballad about trying to fix fate, Johnny B. Goode where Marty’s rock and guitar skills wow the audience, and the rock standard The Power Of Love. My personal favourite was the lilting ballad For The Dreamers, poignantly sung by Roger Bart, with, in the backdrop, portraits of legendary scientists such as Albert Einstein.
The cast were great with spot on portrayals. Alex Duffy played Marty McFly, the guitar shredding teenager with a knack for trouble who loves the music of Huey Lewis.Broadway legend Roger Bart was the good natured, manic Doc Brown, forever wrestling with his machine. Ashleigh Rubenach played Mardy’s sweet, very sociable mother
Ethan Jones makes the most of playing Mardy’s father George. Jones has arguably the show’s most interesting role to play, as George goes from being a total square to being a hip guy, exemplified in a much improved dancing technique!
Thomas McGuane looks and feels the part of Hill Valley bully, the very appropriately named, Biff.
Javon King was great in two roles, playing Marvin Berry, a very cool 50’s bandleader, and Goldie Wilson, a sharp dressed night attendant, busily moping floors in a local diner. He was an audience favourite with his great, soul filled vocals and presence.
Anton Berezin was suitably unsympathetic as the hard nosed, no-nonsense headmaster Gerald Strickland who sees his role as being the town sheriff.
The big musicals always come with the most high standard, awesome production values, and this is no exception. John Rando directs, choreography by Chris Bailey, lighting design by Tim Lutkin and Hugh Vanstone, video design by Finn Ross, sound design by Gareth Owen, illusion designer Chris Fisher, costume and set design by Tim Hatley and music director Leah Howard who led a very fine orchestra.
This show is great entertainment. A John Frost (for Crossroads Live Australia) and Colin Ingram (for Colin Ingram Ltd), supported by the NSW Government through Destination New South Wales, BACK TO THE FUTURE THE MUSICAL, book/writer Bob Gale, music by Alan Silvestri with lyrics by Glen Ballard, is playing the the Sydney Lyric Theatre, Star City, until the end of January 2026.
Production photography by Daniel Boud
