‘Back to the Future: The Musical’ better in NY

‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’: Casey Likes. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL
Based on the Universal Pictures/Amblin Entertainment Film
Written by Robert Zemeckis & Bob Gale
Book by Bob Gale
Music & lyrics by Alan Silvestri & Glen Ballard
Directed by John Rando
Winter Garden Theatre
1634 Broadway
https://www.backtothefuturemusical.com/new-york/

By David NouNou

Having seen Back to The Future last year in London, I have to concede that this version is far superior to the British production. Reason being that other than Roger Bart playing Doc Brown, an American actor, the rest of cast were all British, with the most abominable American accents. In addition, the actor playing Marty McFly was way too old for the role, thus making the part cringeworthy.

You all know the plot, here’s a recap: Set in a small California town in 1985, 17-year-old Marty McFly (Casey Likes), in an experiment travels through time in a modified DeLorean car created by his eccentric friend, Doc Brown (Roger Bart) where he ends up in 1955 encountering young versions of his parents, before they were married. His mother Lorraine Baines (Liana Hunt) has the hots for Marty when she first meets him and thinks his name is Calvin Klein because of the underwear he’s wearing, and his father is a nerdy highschooler George McFly (Hugh Coles) who is constantly being picked on and tormented by Biff Tannen (Nathaniel Hackmann), the town bully. Marty has to make sure that George and Lorraine fall in love and kiss at a designated time, or he and his siblings shall cease to exist. More daunting, Marty has to return to his own time and save the life of Doc Brown.

The plot is simple and the cast is minimal. It follows the premise of the movie; however, most of the charm and innocence of the piece is gone. Instead, it is loud and all over the place. Substance has been replaced with needless and uninspired dance numbers.

The book by Bob Gale is clever enough to keep it afloat. The score at best tries to stay in the mood of the 50s and 80s but is not particularly memorable. Although the musical is created and directed by Americans, it was originally presented in London. What’s amazing about British musicals is when creating material that is English in nature, from Six to & Juliet, they can be brilliant, but when they try to create American-themed musicals, they somehow miss the mark by overindulgence to play for an American audience—as if to say bigger is better.

The cast, headed by Roger Bart, as Doc Brown, has mercifully toned down his performance a lot. Doc Brown is a brilliant but eccentric scientist. In London, Mr. Bart portrayed him as a manic lunatic. His performance is much better and more genuine now. If you follow the performance, he now seems to channel Robin Williams which is a much more pleasant experience. Casey Likes—who last fall played William in the short-lived musical version of Almost Famous— now plays Marty McFly. He is age appropriate and rather likeable.

The best part of the show is the English holdover, Hugh Coles. He was great as George McFly in London; he is even better now on Broadway.

To be sure, as long as tourists keep coming to New York, Back to the Future will be their favorite staple and can keep it running well into the future.

Edited by Scott Harrah
Published August 11, 2023
Reviewed at August 10, 2023 press performance.

‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’: Roger Bart & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’ (left to right): Daryl Tofa, Nathaniel Hackmann, Will Branner, Casey Likes & Hugh Coles. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’: Jelani Remy & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’: Casey Likes & cast. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.

‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’: Casey Likes. Photo: Matthew Murphy & Evan Zimmerman.