Review: Back to The Future The Musical at The Bristol Hippodrome | Oct/Nov 2026
Posted on: 16 Oct 2026Great Scott! It was an absolute delight to travel back in time (twice) on Thursday night, to see Back to the Future the Musical on the stage at The Bristol Hippodrome. The second the lights go down – the twinkling, immersive set transports you to another world: the small town of Twin Pines, California.
It’s 1985; the jeans are slim. The gilets are prolific. The hair is BIG. And Marty McFly sticks out like a sore thumb in his unhappy family, escaping whenever he can to help Doc Brown with his chaotic inventions.
We first meet Marty as he arrives at Doc’s workshop, where a pre-recorded message is set to invite him to the mall at 1.15am. This opening sets the tone for a production that has all the magic of the 1985 movie, along with a generous handful of extra tricks and fantastically upbeat music and lyrics from Alan Silvestri.
What unfolds next is three hours of utterly brilliant storytelling by cast and crew alike. Doc Brown – played by the fantastic Roger Bart – is a comedic genius. He takes on the iconic role with ease, bringing a memorable combination of whacky-professor charisma, intensity and side-splitting physical comedy.
Axel Duffy pays perfect homage to Michael J. Fox’s Marty while making it his own. He’s charming and energetic, leaping around the stage with a spirit of teenage rebellion. I particularly enjoyed his performance in “Pretty Baby” – recoiling with horror as the teenage Lorraine Baines (flawlessly portrayed by Danielle Rose) advances on him in her bedroom. Between the purple pants and the doo-wop trio singing in the in the window, it was a hoot.
“I think you should give it 35 stars”
Fred, 8 years old, Keynsham
Other standout performances include James Oliver as the quiveringly submissive, almost-bent-double George McFly, who surely has the most physically demanding job of all, and Brandon Lee Sears as Goldie Wilson, who wins your heart instantly with beautifully smooth vocals and a cheeky, optimistic disposition.
As well as the fantastic cast, the show was made even more magic by the lighting – almost a character in its own right. With over 1,000 cues to handle throughout the production, the lighting designers successfully transport you to both the 80s and the 50s, and bring the concept of time travel to life. And as for the prop on everyone’s mind… illusions and VFX designer Chris Fisher captivates the audience hook, line and sinker with the DeLorean, particularly with a gravity-defying stunt in the final scene (hint: “where we’re going, we don’t need roads!”).
All in all, this is an unforgettable production that’ll satisfy die-hard fans of the original film as well as those who’ve never even heard of plutonium.
Back To The Future The Musical is on at Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday 21st November 2026, with tickets starting from £19.85 available here.