Review : The World Premier of Back To The Future The Musical at Opera House Manchester
Great Scott! The brand new Back To The Future The Musical has made its debut in Manchester and we were invited along to check it out.
The transformed 80’s cult classic has been making it’s world premiere at the Opera House Manchester where it will run until 17th May 2020.
Back To The Future The Musical has been brought to the stage by the original film writers Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis with new musical numbers by the Grammy Award-winning duo Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard. We were kindly invited to the Back To The Future The Musical Press night and sent along Gemma and her 10 year old son Harry to check it out.
Review Of Back To The Future The Musical at Opera House Manchester
Like in the film, the story follows 17 year old Marty McFly as he accidentally travels back 30 years in a time travelling delorean invented by his mad scientist Doc Brown. Unable to operate the time machine himself he must find the younger Doc to help get back to the 80’s whilst trying to save his future.
As a big fan of the films I was concerned that a stage adaptation, and a musical at that would dissapoint but thankfully I didn’t need to worry.
The show began as with the film at Doc Browns with Marty literally explodes onto the stage as he tries out his electric guitar on the large speaker and it set the excitement for what was to come.
Olly Dobson wowed as Marty McFly. He had the voice, mannerisms and swagger of the character we all know and love and at times I forgot that it wasn’t Michael J Fox strutting his stuff on the stage. He showed that it wasn’t just his acting skills which landed him the part as he sung and danced his way perfectly through the new musical numbers.
Credit Sean Ebsworth Barnes
Dobson also proved to be the perfect comedy partner teaming up with Hugh Coles who played an amazing George McFly. From the moment Coles stuttered through his first line complete with his jittery manerisms it was clear that he had Marty’s dad down to a tee and became a firm favourite with the audience.
Credit Sean Ebsworth Barnes
Cedric Neal as Mayor Goldie Wilson and Marvin Berry also deserved a mention for their amazing vocals, as does Rosanna Hyland as Marty’s mother Lorraine.
Credit Sean Ebsworth Barnes
Of course a musical based on Back To The Future wouldn’t be complete without Doc Brown and Tony-award winner Roger Bart was the perfect choice. He had all the characteristics expected from the mad scientist but added in so much more, making the part his hilarious own.
Credit Sean Ebsworth Barnes
It is not easy to turn an iconic film such as Back To The Future into a stage show, never mind a musical but the new soundtrack fitted so perfectly with the story that it would be easy to wonder if they had actually been part of the original.
The set and special effects also play an enormous part in making the show a hit. With the help of video graphics, pyrotechnics, fast moving scencery and the well loved DeLorean the whole audience was transported back in time in a spectuacular manner, with my son uttering ‘wow’ on more than one occassion.
Credit Sean Ebsworth Barnes
It came as no surprise that the whole cast recieved a very well deserved standing ovation.
Back To The Future The Musical is an amazing production which will appeal to both kids and adults alike. It’s defintely one not to miss and I would even go as far as saying if you only get to visit the theatre once this year it should be to see this.
