Review: BACK TO THE FUTURE THE MUSICAL @ Adelphi Theatre, London

 

★★★★★ (5 of 5)

 Principals performing on 29/1/26

Oliver Halford (Marty McFly) [Cover]

Cory English (Doc Brown)

Orlando Gibbs (George McFly)

Billie Bowman (Lorraine Baines) [Cover]

C.J. Borger (Goldie Wilson)

Alex Runicles (Biff Tannen)

Talia Palamathanan (Jennifer Parker)

Lee Ormsby (Strickland) 

Back To The Future has a special significance for us.  It was the very first show we saw together and for Ian it is his favourite piece of theatre to date. Rob was lucky in catching a preview at its 2020 Manchester premiere season, before Covid shut down the world, and together we caught up with it in 2022. Now, four years later, we are hoping the Delorian has lost none of its power as it transports us between 1985 and 1955.

The original movie (and it's two sequels) have become cult classics. Inspiring a fan base who cosplay as Marty McFly as they devour the merchandise and fan fiction that it generates. Creators Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis have kept a tight hold on the franchise, rebutting pressure to re-make the movies or indeed attempt a fourth sequel.  However, they were both very much at the creative helm of this stage version and it shows. The production radiates class from every pore, with an impressive budget and effects to astound even the more hardened theatre goer, thanks to the wise direction of John Rando.

 

 

Oliver Halford serves a winning Marty McFly, he has the vocal chops for the show but makes sure Marty's vulnerability as events spiral out of control is on display. As firm fans of Roger Bart, we were concerned that Cory English's Doc Brown would be a lesser serving. But we needn't have worried, English has the Doc sewn up. Clearly having a lot of fun on stage allowing full reign for his comedy arsenal,  and whether it be the tender ballad "For The Dreamers" or the disco stomper "21st Century" English delivers in plutonium spades.  

 

Elsewhere Talia Palamathanan (who we saw shining in Everybody's Talking About Jamie) makes sure she makes the most of Marty's 1985 girlfriend Jennifer Parker, despite limited stage time.  Billie Bowman's Lorraine Baines manages to convince us of Marty's mothers teenage lust for her future son, and together with Halford they create some nice comedy. C.J. Borger is on fire as Goldie Wilson, future Mayor but still working in a diner in 1955. His performance of "You Gotta Start Somewhere" brought the energy levels up to 1.21 Gigawatts before the lightning had chance to.  Orlando Gibbs has the difficult task of having to replicate to a certain extent Crispin Glover's gloriously nerdy George McFly from the movie. All credit to him, he succeeds without going overboard, and gives us a physically awkward performance that wins the audience over.  

 

The success of this show is that it is able to take us into the time travelling sci-fi world that usually is only available to us on the cinema screen,  to see the adventure unfurl live on stage takes it to another level. The Delorian car is perhaps the biggest star of the show and its all credit to the effects people on the show that they achieve such spectacle. Alan Silvestri's music - with lyrics by Glen Ballard - utilises the best motifs of the film score coupled with a blend of 1950s kitsch and 1980s excess.  It deservedly won the Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards.  The London run comes to an end in April  and heads out on a UK tour in October 2026. We can only hope that enables many more thousands of people to witness this time-travelling supernova of a show.

Back to The Future has established itself as a staple of musical theatre, we can't wait to drive 88 on the tour.  

Rob & Ian 

Details of the worldwide productions can be found at the official BACK TO THE FUTURE MUSICAL WEBSITE.

Further listening:

 So our tip is check out the Deluxe Edition of the 2022 original cast recording, featuring an extra disc of cut songs, early versions and demos.