Back to the Future. Photo: Daniel.
Back to the Future has been a very successful movie franchise, with three movies starring Michael J Fox, released from 1985 to 1990.
The movies have continued to be popular and attracted a broader audience given their availability on streaming services.
Clearly, writer Bob Gale hit on a winning formula starting with the first movie, on which this new musical was based.
By combining science fiction, a zany scientist with crazy hair and a super-confident all-American, clean cut kid from a daggy family, with time travel to the 1950s, the original Back to The Future harked back to a simpler time while looking forward to the future.
Back to The Future inhabited the same feel-good vibes as the hugely successful Happy Days TV series which ran from 1974 but exited that genre in 1984.
Let’s face it, everyone loves great 50s fashion, dancing and music.
If you enjoyed the Back to The Future movies you will love this musical. If you’ve never seen any of them you’ll still enjoy this. Like that first movie, the genius of Back to The Future The Musical is in the timing of its release.
It is now 40 years since that first movie was released and the movie is now itself an artefact of a simpler time – the 1980s. Like the 1950’s this is a decade to which many (particularly those who did not live through the period) look for fashion, music and movies.
This means that this musical can now plough two eras – the 1950s and the 1980s – for inspiration in clothing, music and choreography and for laughs. It does this so very well that it is the first musical I have ever seen twice.
I was lucky enough to see it in London when I was there for the ARC Conference in February this year. I enjoyed it very much then and looked forward to taking my family to see it when it opened here.
The quality of the performances and production of the Sydney performance was at least the equal of my London experience of the show. It is a production for people of all ages.
While this is a show just for sheer enjoyment and fun, it contains some good themes and messages, including being confident enough to use your gifts and talents.
While it is not dwelt on, the fact that every era has features – both good and bad – of its own, is not ignored. For example, the DDT pesticide, cigarettes and asbestos feature in a 50s inspired song and it is clear that bullying existed well before social media.
It also becomes evident that parents do not always tell the unvarnished truth about their own past behaviours (or perhaps to be charitable, their memories fade) and that sometimes parents have much to learn from their children.
Most importantly, Back to The Future The Musical has well-constructed lyrics and music, great costumes and dancing and some very funny jokes – the riff on circumstances being “heavy” (as they often were in the 80s) is so funny the writer sensibly includes it twice.
It approaches Abbott and Costello’s famous “Who’s on First” gag for chuckles.
There is much in today’s world which is challenging and disheartening but as Ecclesiastes tells us “there is a time for laughter.” So it is more than fine to go to this musical and just enjoy a good time.
Now playing at the Sydney Lyric Theatre.
Michael Quinlan is an emeritus professor of the University of Notre Dame Australia.
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