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Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 20, 2021 22:22:44 GMT
For those who saw in Manchester, is the set meant to (almost) burn down in Doc's house and a stage manager has to come on with a fire extinguisher? I don’t remember that happening at all! |
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Post by fluxcapacitor on Aug 20, 2021 22:32:36 GMT
For those who saw in Manchester, is the set meant to (almost) burn down in Doc's house and a stage manager has to come on with a fire extinguisher? SLIGHT exaggeration there! The set tonight didn’t almost burn down, there was a small, contained (planned) fire on Doc’s model of Hill Valley just like the same scene in the movie, but Bart & Dobson couldn’t find the fire extinguisher to put it out on set so a stage manager came on and pulled it out of a drawer. Seemed unplanned to me, but it could be a “You’re Timeless To Me” style planned corpse. Enjoyed the first preview this evening. It’s not a great musical, but it’s a phenomenal spectacle. The sequence where Marty drives towards the Clock Tower at 88mph as the lightning hits is probably the most technically brilliant and filmic things I’ve ever seen on stage. And the final appearance of the Delorean at the end of the show is just incredible. The musical numbers feel like they get in the way though. Scenes are played in parallel to the movie (with some changes) and then they’re bookended by forgettable songs which often halt the story. The songs from the movie fare better as they’re mainly part of the plot, and the orchestrated incidental music from the original soundtrack is wonderfully done and timed perfectly with scenes and action. I can’t help but feel they maybe didn’t need this to be a musical. Back to the Future: Live on Stage could have worked better with the focus on the incredible stunts and special effects they’re pulling off live on stage because in my opinion that’s the real selling point - and the reason to see this show. |
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Post by jennapatchell on Aug 20, 2021 22:37:55 GMT
Probably should have been a play, or in the style of Cursed Child and make up a new adventure for Doc and Marty. It definitely shouldn't have been a musical, completely pointless.
The value here is the visual spectacle. Not the musical. And the crowd reflects that.
I predict a range of 2-3* reviews unless major changes happen in these previews.
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Post by fiyero on Aug 21, 2021 22:34:09 GMT
Just on my way home from the 3rd preview and loved it! I’d already booked a couple more trips and so glad I have. Tonight I was at the back of the upper circle so a good overall view but will be great to be closer in September when I have front stalls.
Like Only Fools and Horses the musical the fans loved the direct quotes from the movie but the changes needed to translate it to stage worked well too.
I know they had a Manchester run too but it’s looking very polished for an early preview. I saw a stagehand when a cloth got stuck on the Delorean and a lighting queue that could be tightened.
Roger Bart as Doc is the standout to me. Such a fun part and he really knows how to work it.
I can’t wait to get back!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2021 7:26:45 GMT
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Post by Figaro on Aug 22, 2021 7:56:00 GMT
Does the car fly over the audience, like Chitty?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2021 7:59:49 GMT
Does the car fly over the audience, like Chitty? Please spoiler tag, if answering this. Thank you! |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 22, 2021 10:17:57 GMT
Does the car fly over the audience, like Chitty? {Spoiler - click to view}
Yes it does. if you go back to page 13 of this thread, that’s where the first comments on the effects start to appear. |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 24, 2021 22:42:34 GMT
Did they add any songs that are remotely memorable ? Apart from the obvious one at the end.
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Post by Mark on Aug 24, 2021 23:09:28 GMT
Well, I really enjoyed it!
It's certainly not the perfect "musical" by any means but as far as a good "show" goes, it really delivers and is great fun.
Olly Dobson in particular is brilliant as Marty
Probably one of the most technical shows and elaborate sets/effects we've had in the West End - ever. The blend of physical/digital works very well for the most part. The finale effect - magical.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 25, 2021 4:04:38 GMT
Well, I really enjoyed it! It's certainly not the perfect "musical" by any means but as far as a good "show" goes, it really delivers and is great fun. Olly Dobson in particular is brilliant as Marty Probably one of the most technical shows and elaborate sets/effects we've had in the West End - ever. The blend of physical/digital works very well for the most part. The finale effect - magical. So funny when people say that. Like shows with flying cars, like ya know- Chitty- have never happened 😂 |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2021 6:15:18 GMT
True but shows like that don't happen often these days. Sets, costumes and special effects are often dismissed on here as unimportant which is unfair as they form a very talented and innovative part of the industry.
I don't mind an average score (long as it isn't boring) if the show is offering something else in the form of interest and excitement. For me the staging is just as important and part of the reason I got into theatre, it's often where the magic of live theatre is.
At a time when shows seem to be getting cheaper and scaled back its exiting to see shows offering some spectacle and wow moments. Whether that's something big like a flying car or more traditional stage magic. Especially when you consider how much tickets have gone up by.
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Post by greeny11 on Aug 25, 2021 6:22:12 GMT
The score wasn't particularly memorable, but it was fine. I remember liking several of the songs, but can't actually remember what any of them go like now.
That being said, there's so much to like about this anyway that I didn't really care - I loved the opening graphics, the set/effects were fantastic, the cast were great, and it's actually very funny in a lot of places. Hugh Coles stole the show for me as George, but I also really liked Olly Dobson and Roger Bart, and Cedric Neal did great work with his songs too.
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Post by fluxcapacitor on Aug 25, 2021 7:13:43 GMT
Well, I really enjoyed it! It's certainly not the perfect "musical" by any means but as far as a good "show" goes, it really delivers and is great fun. Olly Dobson in particular is brilliant as Marty Probably one of the most technical shows and elaborate sets/effects we've had in the West End - ever. The blend of physical/digital works very well for the most part. The finale effect - magical. So funny when people say that. Like shows with flying cars, like ya know- Chitty- have never happened 😂 Yes we’ve had flying cars, but what BTTF accomplishes with the Delorean is above and beyond what CCBB did. No one’s taking away the technical accomplishments of the past, but this show is one which enhances and grows on those. Here it’s not “just” a flying car, it’s a car that does a hell of a lot more during the 2 hour 40 minutes runtime and THEN flies (and even then does more than “just” that). They’re really pushing the envelope with what is technically possible on stage in a cinematic way, and whilst (in my opinion) the musical isn’t the strongest, its technical and visual sides deserve the plaudits. |
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Post by crabtree on Aug 25, 2021 8:35:32 GMT
Can't wait to see this, especially having lost out to Covid in Manchester. But the most impressive effect I've witnessed in over 50 years of going to the theatre was not a helicopter nor a falling chandelier, nor the Danton's death guillotine, nor the Metropolis set, nor the barricades but the appearance of the whale in the Royal Exchange's Moby Dick. Simple and breathaking.
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Post by Mark on Aug 25, 2021 9:52:36 GMT
Well, I really enjoyed it! It's certainly not the perfect "musical" by any means but as far as a good "show" goes, it really delivers and is great fun. Olly Dobson in particular is brilliant as Marty Probably one of the most technical shows and elaborate sets/effects we've had in the West End - ever. The blend of physical/digital works very well for the most part. The finale effect - magical. So funny when people say that. Like shows with flying cars, like ya know- Chitty- have never happened 😂 And every time Chitty/Mary/Elphaba flies - it’s still magical  . |
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Post by MusicalTalk on Aug 25, 2021 11:01:05 GMT
Elphaba's flying was done in Joseph in 1991 and ironically not done in the current production!
The car flying in Chitty was impressive - but BTTF's flying sequence is on a whole new level. Do we know for certain whether it's the same car we've seen for the whole show or is it a separate one that appears from beneath the stage?
For me - it's the mis-direction illusions that really are fun in this show - especially very early on in Act II (it got a round of applaud last night)
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Post by fiyerorocher on Aug 25, 2021 22:12:35 GMT
Such a disappointing show. Amazing effects, as has been mentioned, but they feel so wasted. I can't remember a single lyric or melody, and I only left the theatre less than an hour ago. I'd give it two and a half stars, and that feels generous. Everyone who's said it should be a play is 100% right. There's really no point to the musical numbers. I think those with an emotional connection to the film might view it more fondly, but I haven't seen it in probably 15 years and barely remember it. Which, in 15 years time, will undoubtedly be my thoughts on this depressingly forgettable musical.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2021 22:20:25 GMT
Such a disappointing show. Amazing effects, as has been mentioned, but they feel so wasted. I can't remember a single lyric or melody, and I only left the theatre less than an hour ago. I'd give it two and a half stars, and that feels generous. Everyone who's said it should be a play is 100% right. There's really no point to the musical numbers. I think those with an emotional connection to the film might view it more fondly, but I haven't seen it in probably 15 years and barely remember it. Which, in 15 years time, will undoubtedly be my thoughts on this depressingly forgettable musical. On my way home from this now, and I couldn’t agree more. I had a good evening, but it wasn’t spectacular. Except from some very impressive visuals, there isn’t much that will stay with me, I suspect. |
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Post by fiyerorocher on Aug 25, 2021 22:24:45 GMT
Such a disappointing show. Amazing effects, as has been mentioned, but they feel so wasted. I can't remember a single lyric or melody, and I only left the theatre less than an hour ago. I'd give it two and a half stars, and that feels generous. Everyone who's said it should be a play is 100% right. There's really no point to the musical numbers. I think those with an emotional connection to the film might view it more fondly, but I haven't seen it in probably 15 years and barely remember it. Which, in 15 years time, will undoubtedly be my thoughts on this depressingly forgettable musical. On my way home from this now, and I couldn’t agree more. I had a good evening, but it wasn’t spectacular. Except from some very impressive visuals, there isn’t much that will stay with me, I suspect. Yes I think, beyond the obvious spectacle of the car, my prevailing thought leaving the show was that the dance scenes felt like an amateur production of Grease. And that you could cut all Doc's daydream sequences without consequence and shave a good 15 minutes off, which I can't see anyone complaining about. |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 25, 2021 23:56:43 GMT
Elphaba's flying was done in Joseph in 1991 and ironically not done in the current production! The car flying in Chitty was impressive - but BTTF's flying sequence is on a whole new level. Do we know for certain whether it's the same car we've seen for the whole show or is it a separate one that appears from beneath the stage? For me - it's the mis-direction illusions that really are fun in this show - especially very early on in Act II (it got a round of applaud last night) They don’t use the sub stage at all, the car reveals are done by literally a piece of black magicians velvet covering the car that’s whipped off in a second to reveal it. |
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Post by danb on Aug 26, 2021 5:02:52 GMT
Ta daaaahhh! Do they at least get the lovely Debbie Magee to whip it off?
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Post by LaLuPone on Aug 28, 2021 22:00:03 GMT
Has anyone tried rush for this yet? I’m going to give it a go for the Monday matinee this week (great to see a Monday matinee, guessing it’s because of the bank holiday) but assuming it’ll be a tough one.
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