It seems appropriate, given this is Back To The Future, to be writing this review so removed, time-wise, from when I saw the show back in January. However, although this is a trip down memory lane, what I still feel like yesterday is the buzz I had walking out of the Adelphi Theatre in London.
Back To The Future had it all. Everything you love about musicals is in this show: Dancing, Effects, Songs, Comedy, Action.
I love the musical theatre genre of song. It’s poetry and story telling; it’s conversational, complicated, catchy; it has reoccurring riffs and lines. BTTF does all this and is packed full of fantastic numbers, wide-ranging in style but all contagious and bound to get stuck in your head. I love the mixture of modern rock sounds combined with a brass section to bring in the theatrical.
Then, right there next to the songs is the high energy choreography. Get set for plenty of amazing dancing and colourful costumes to take you back to the 1950s.
The fact that the audience is watching this familiar story, but now actually in the “future” adds to the humour of it. There are lots of references to things we now view as baffling and ridiculous in 2025. Amongst all the fun and excitement of this intense show, it raises a more earnest thing to ponder in how trends and science come and go, and ask what will people look back at this generation and think? As I said, this musical has it all and I love how a performance can make you think and reflect whilst at the same time be so much fun!
The effects will impress you; you may have already heard about the car. I don’t want to spoil with details so will leave the anticipation hanging. But, I will say the sets and effects throughout the show are really well done, not just in the finale. Would love to be a fly on the back stage wall for this one.
Sydney is being bombarded by big musicals now and in the coming months. Back To The Future starts soon and will no doubt be the talk of the town quickly and enjoy plenty of success in Australia too.
