West End Theatre Review – The Adelphi Theatre
This Olivier Award winning musical, directed by John Rando (Mr Saturday Night), is playing at the Adelphi Theatre until 12th April 2026, and Great Scott! If you haven’t done so, this musical should be one that you go to see before it is too late! Much like the 1985 film, this musical follows Marty McFly, Doc Brown, and their attempts to time travel. Marty accidentally travels to 1955, and mistakenly changes his own future – and only a younger version of Doc Brown can help. Can Marty get his parents to meet before he is erased from history?
The performances are fantastic: Caden Brauch as Marty and Cory English as Doc Brown are a natural and comical duo, and they have incredible chemistry. Individually, Brauch’s youthful energy, and vocal clarity anchor the whole show, and English’s impeccable performance gives the show comedic momentum whilst capturing the spirit of Doc Brown, without imitating the screen version. Maddie Grace Jepson as Lorraine Baines gives an incredibly strong performance too. Probably the most stand out performance is given by Orlando Gibbs, playing George McFly: his physical comedy and his character arc provides some of the most engaging and hilarious moments.
Musically, this show includes both songs that are in the 1985 film – The Power of Love and Johnny B. Good, and original songs that are written by Alan Silvestri (Romancing the Stone) and Glen Ballard (Jagged Little Pill). Sometimes, the original songs are not that interesting to listen to, but they are also not hard to listen to either.
This show’s crowning glory though, is its staging and design – it is the most incredible and perfectly executed design that I have ever seen. The set designed by Tim Hatley (Dreamgirls) and the lighting design by Tim Lutkin (The Crucible) create an immersive visual feast. The use of the light is particularly impressive when the lights (that look like bolts of electricity and surround the audience) flash and change colour when the DeLorean is travelling. It makes the audience feel even more connected to the action on stage. The exceptional video design by Finn Ross (My Neighbour Totoro), and sound design by Gareth Owen (Starlight Express) truly make the show come to life – especially when the Doc is up the clock tower. The DeLorean itself is an incredible feat of automation and technology, and when it was being ‘driven’ – all the lights, sound, and projections came together to make it truly magical and unforgettable. The DeLorean’s story comes to its culmination at the very end of the show, and it made me gasp with surprise. It was visually stunning.
I went to see Back to the Future without any prior knowledge of the plot, apart from the fact that Marty McFly goes back in time and meets his parents. I thoroughly enjoyed this musical – especially for the visuals and technical aspects of it. If you have not seen it yet, I strongly recommend watching it before it zooms out of the West End in April!
Written by Helena Featherstone
Notes From Row H 
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