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Back to the Future: The Musical

 


When: 21st December 2023 (Matinee)

Where: Adelphi Theatre, London

Writer: Bob Gale

Director: John Rando


(Spoilers ahead)

It's no shock to anyone that I do not like musicals, and yet somehow this show was the most fun I have had in the theatre in a long time. 

When you first walk into the auditorium you are immediately immersed into the technological world of the show. Blue neon lights weave their way out of the stage across the walls and ceiling into the audience. As the show continues the technological mastery behind this show excels. One of the most interesting uses of technology is the use of screen projections across the front of the stage. Particularly during scenes when the characters time travel, and a sheer screen comes down across the stage, there are then projections on this screen that make it look as if the car is driving at 88mph. Its simple in its execution, yet, the idea to come up with this is brilliant. It's a great use of technology, that still feels theatrical whilst using the capabilities of film to stretch the imagination and make the impossible appear possible. This is then taken to the extreme in the ending of the show. As the DeLorean shoots off at 88mph, it launches straight out into the audience, literally! The car flies above the stalls with the performers inside and then just to show off it spins 360 degrees suspending the actors upside down waving down towards the audience. It's got to the point now were I often find these moments underwhelming, knowing exactly how the trick is done, yet in this it was done so perfectly with not a string or machine in sight that I was sat there in awe. It genuinely looked like it was flying. 

My biggest pet peeve about musicals is that songs, often hold no relevance to the characters or the story, and they don't progress the emotion of the narrative, instead we stay stuck on that one thought for 3 minutes. However, in Back to the Future songs work perfectly, in fact for the first time I actually don't think this show would work if it wasn't a musical. Because the story relies so much on the music to immerse us into the period, the songs blend in so well to the overall tone of the piece. I think one of the things that makes this show work as a whole, is the fact that it doesn't take itself too seriously, meaning everyone is just there a for a good time, everything is so wild and wacky, why can't we believe that these people just want to break into song all the time. Sure there are some songs which fit my hates of musical, like It Works in which the chorus consists of "it works" repeated over and over again. I also don't think this is one of those musicals that you go away and listen to the soundtrack on repeat, the music itself isn't anything special, it's the spectacle of the show as a whole that makes it.

Another incredible thing about this production is the way in which it presents its humour. It's so self aware, that anything could happen and no matter how crazy it would just work. Specifically the use of ensemble is incredible, their costumes are mad and I love the way they always seem to just appear, this is even spoken about by the characters, with Doc stating that the girls just appear when he starts to sing. It's lines like this that immediately allow us to just accept the conventions of the piece straight off the bat. We all know its crazy for characters to just start singing, so we just accept it and let the creators loose. 

I knew very little about the story going into this, unlike most people I hadn't seen the film. I have to admit, I did find the story line a little odd to begin with, but as it progressed I found the humour in the situation. I actually think now in hindsight a story about a son trying to get his parents together to make sure he is born, is an ingenious way of presenting a love story in a new and original way. Again, in the madness of the whole thing, in some way it feels like it was always supposed to be a show. 

My final point is on the performances, every single person in this cast is brilliant. The ensemble manage to keep the energy of the production at full force for its entirety. Each of leads have great understanding of what is needed from them, and each character comes fully to life. I particularly want to shout out Cory English as Doc Brown, who was absolutely incredible. He managed to just throw himself into the character and let the mad scientist take over his body. English also had a spectacular ability to engage the audience, either through presence or simply breaking the fourth wall and chatting to them. 

In conclusion, I had the time of my life at this show. Questioning my decision to go earlier in the day, to wanting to go back in and see it again immediately. I didn't want to it to end. Back To the Future shouldn't work as a musical, and yet it just does. It's a brilliant show that I think everyone would love, and I really hope I get to see it again at some point soon.  

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