Sydney Lyric Theatre
From $65 + booking fee
Great Scott! All the way from 1985 to 1955 and now 2025, Sydney has landed the opening of mega-movie musical Back to the Future: The Musical, complete with a superb ensemble, captivating visual effects and enough nostalgia to power a time-travelling DeLorean.
For full transparency, Back to the Future is one of my favourite films of all time. Growing up watching Michael J. Fox’s Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd’s Dr. Emmett Brown travel through time across three films was a large part of my movie-watching childhood. So when it was announced that it would be getting a high-octane staging, I was both ecstatic and sceptical. However, like the show’s original writer (and now the musical’s) Bob Gale said, “we’re not going to do this unless we can do it right”.
Thankfully, of the musical version I can safely say – to borrow from the Doc – “IT WORKS!”
What’s the premise of Back to the Future: The Musical?
After uncovering an old folder of photos in his parents’ basement, Gale wondered, after seeing a high school version of his father, whether he would have been friends with him back then. “The answer is no,” he joked at the opening night bows. The result of this is classic ’80s nostalgia – in both setting and plot.
BTTF follows teenager Marty McFly in Hill Valley, 1985, whose life is less than spectacular. He dreams of being a rock 'n’ roll star but he’s told he’s too loud and a “slacker” like his father. His family are just as hopeless. None more so than his father George McFly, an oily-haired and awkward man-child who’s under the thumb of Biff, whose character amounts to no more than a bully with a tendency for spoonerism.
Marty’s friend, the local “mad scientist”, Doc Brown invites Marty to see his latest, and supposedly greatest, invention: a DeLorean-shaped time machine. But after a tragic turn of events, Marty is flown back through time to 1955 where he mistakenly interacts with his teenaged father, subsequently getting in the way of his and his future mother, Lorraine Baines’ meet-cute (although those familiar with the plot will know this is slightly more icky)
The only problem? Now Marty’s mum has the hots for him! Together with the ‘55 Doc, they need to get his parents to kiss, fall in love and get Marty back to 1985 before he’s erased from existence forever.
Who are the cast and crew of Back to the Future: The Musical?
Doing his best Michael J. Fox impression, Australia’s Axel Duffy (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) leads the show with ease. His Marty makes the stakes of the plot full-bodied, inviting us constantly to go on the ride with him. His grossed-out reactions to his flirtatious mother are a highlight of his performance, as well as his ability to gymnastically perform Chris Bailey’s choreography.
Reuniting with the show’s original director, John Rando, Tony Award-winning Broadway performer Roger Bart (The Producers, Young Frankenstein) reprises the role of Doc Brown after originating it on both the West End and Broadway. His professional skill for comic timing is clear from the very moment he speeds on stage in the iconic time machine, along with his equally recognisable voice. Bart is one of those Broadway actors who has a well-toned singing voice, but intertwines it with a whole heap of elasticity in character. Rather than some modern stars who go for vocal riffs and opt ups for viral TikTok clips, Bart represents classic Broadway where character, heart and style is of the utmost importance. And BTTF is all the better for it. We don’t get opportunities like this in Australia that often, so to see Bart in action is an absolute joy.
Ashleigh Rubenach’s (Sunset Boulevard) Lorraine Baines may not be gifted much depth in Gale’s book besides being a lovelorn teenager, but Rubenach gives Lorraine a heft of sexual independence and humour as she chases after Marty. Opposite, Ethan Jones’ (Jesus Christ Superstar) George McFly is so incredibly similar to Crispin Glover’s famously geeky movie version, you’d be forgiven for thinking he’s Glover himself. Jones replicates McFly’s mannerisms like it’s a fine art and you can’t help but love him.
There’s a saying that there’s no small parts, only small actors, and Javon King (Jesus Christ Superstar) shows exactly how you make a small part an audience favourite as the future mayor of Hill Valley, Goldie Wilson. King shows off his soaring vocals and killer dance moves that give the production an adrenaline shot whenever he’s on stage.
Thomas McGuane’s (Frozen) Biff Tannen is perhaps the weakest-written character compared to his film counterpart, but McGuane leans into Biff’s big bully spoonerisms with glee and gives us his world-class vocal talent throughout his constant meathead conflicts.
Why is Back to the Future: The Musical a four-star production?
Ironically for a musical, the production’s songs are perhaps the weakest element at play here. They’re not altogether memorable nor catchy, some are even dull. It’s Bart that gets the best written songs as they lean into Doc’s fourth wall breaking character, from the joy of ‘It Works’ at the first entrance of the DeLorean, to the soaring ‘This One’s For The Dreamers’ giving hope to all those who dream.
The saving grace of the songs comes from those that feature in the ‘80s film, such as the Huey Lewis hits ‘The Power of Love’ and ‘Back in Time’, and of course, Chuck Berry’s ‘Johnny B. Goode’.
Highlight of Back to the Future: The Musical
The question on everyone’s lips when it comes to a staged version of BTTF is most likely, how do they do the car? And it’s clear that this was the focus of the creative team when bringing this to life.
Together, Tim Lutkin and Hugh Vanstone’s lighting design, Finn Ross’s video design, Gareth Owens’ sound design, and Chris Fisher’s illusion design make the theatrics feel cinematic. The epic climax scene at the clock tower feels like watching a 3D version of the film in surround sound. It’s visceral, heart-racing, and together with Alan Silvestri’s monumental score, absolutely thrilling.
And if you think they couldn’t get the DeLorean to do that final scene of the movie? Well…you’ll have to go and see for yourself.
Who will like Back to the Future: The Musical?
Back to the Future: The Musical will please just about any die-hard fan of the film, even with the necessary changes made for the stage, as well as newcomers to the franchise entirely.
For the kids, this is perfect school-holiday entertainment – just take some earmuffs for the smaller time travel fans as the levels could possibly be quite loud for them.
It may not have the most memorable soundtrack, but there’s enough movie nostalgia, stellar Australian and international talent, and cinematic stage magic to make this an evening of entertainment that is powered by 1.21 gigawatts worth of joy.
Tickets for Back to the Future: The Musical are on sale now for performances until January 25, 2026 – you can snap up tickets here.
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