Marty McFly is a rock 'n' roll teenager who is accidentally transported back to 1955 in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his friend, Dr. Emmett Brown. But before he can return to 1985, Marty must make sure his high school-aged parents fall in love in order to save his own existence.
In this stage iteration directed by John Rando, Caden Brauch plays Marty as if he's a minor character who surprisingly found himself with a lot of lines to read. His stage presence is minimal, and his singing and acting are no more than okay. But what's missing is the goofy charm that makes his character relatable. When he finds himself in the bedroom of high schooler Lorraine (Zan Berube), the exquisite strangeness of a teen being hit on by his own mom, now young as himself, is not played to maximum effect.
The entire cast has developed a mastery of their roles that comes across effortlessly. Caden Brauch and Burke Swanson, as Marty and George McFly respectively, are perfect foils to the bullies portrayed by Ethan Rogers as Biff Tannen and Luke Anthony Neville as Principal Strickland. Swanson’s character who “doesn’t have a spine” excels in both acting and dancing like a flailing inflatable tube man often seen outside auto dealerships. He, along with Zan Berube as Lorraine Baines, own the nuances in their character transitions over the course of the musical and attest to their versatility. As Doc Brown, Don Stephenson excels in portraying the mad scientist archetype, except that he is genuinely likable and inspirational. His performance effectively keeps us on edge, particularly during the climactic race to the clock tower. He climbs a series of projected steps with the finesse of a video game character, and at the top, he convincingly makes us believe he is clinging to the rim for dear life.
2021 | West End |
West End Premiere West End |
2021 | West End |
West End |
2023 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
2024 | US Tour |
North American Tour US Tour |
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