Back to the Future UK tour: first look at Roger Bart and Axel Duffy

The first production photos have been released from the UK tour of Back to the Future The Musical, which celebrated its official opening at the Bristol Hippodrome on 15 October. The pictures show Roger Bart as the eccentric scientist Doc Brown and Axel Duffy as Marty McFly, alongside the famous DeLorean.

The tour is in Bristol until 21 November, then moves on to Edinburgh and Liverpool before visiting nine more cities across 2027. See dates and tickets

The cast in the photos

Bart, a Tony Award winner on stage and a familiar face on screen, leads the company as Doc. Duffy, a rising Australian performer, plays Marty, the teenager who is accidentally sent back to 1955. They are joined by James Oliver as George McFly, Danielle Rose as Lorraine Baines, Brandon Lee Sears as Goldie Wilson and Marvin Berry, Toby Shellard as Biff Tannen, Tash Bacarese-Hamilton as Jennifer Parker, Rhys Owen as Strickland, Katrina Stenning as Linda McFly and Blake Jordan as Dave McFly.

The company is completed by Chloe Bell, Nicole Carlisle, Tilly Ducker, Rebecca French, Tia Gyngell, Kai Harris, Katie Hutton, Keir Hylands, Arthur Janes, Stephen Lewis-Johnston, Zachary Miller, George Olney, Trézel Sergeant and Lashane Williams. Arthur Janes also plays Marty at selected performances.

The 18 images, taken by photographer Mark Senior, include Bart and Duffy together at the time machine, Duffy with Rose and with Bacarese-Hamilton, Sears leading the company, and Biff and his gang with George and Marty.

Who plays Doc Brown, and where

Roger Bart plays Doc Brown in Bristol, Edinburgh and Liverpool. Brian Conley takes over the role for the Milton Keynes run from 9 to 27 February 2027. Casting for Doc for the rest of the tour is still to be announced.

Tour dates

The dates announced so far, as listed on the official tour website, are:

• Bristol Hippodrome, Bristol: 8 October to 21 November 2026
• Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh: 2 December 2026 to 2 January 2027
• Liverpool Empire, Liverpool: 12 January to 6 February 2027
• Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes: 9 to 27 February 2027
• Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham: 9 March to 10 April 2027
• Sunderland Empire, Sunderland: 13 April to 8 May 2027
• Alhambra Theatre, Bradford: 11 May to 5 June 2027
• Mayflower Theatre, Southampton: 8 June to 3 July 2027
• Manchester Opera House, Manchester: 13 July to 21 August 2027
• Theatre Royal Plymouth, Plymouth: 24 August to 11 September 2027
• Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff: 19 October to 13 November 2027

Further venues are still to be confirmed.

What is the show about?

When a teenager is transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by his scientist friend, he accidentally changes the course of history and puts his own existence at risk. He then has to repair the timeline, escape the past and get himself home before his only route back disappears.

The book is by Bob Gale, who wrote the original 1985 film with Robert Zemeckis. The score pairs new songs by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard with much loved songs from the film.

Who is behind the production?

It is directed by John Rando, with set and costume design by Tim Hatley, choreography by Chris Bailey, illusions by Chris Fisher, lighting by Tim Lutkin and Hugh Vanstone, sound by Gareth Owen and video by Finn Ross. Nick Finlow is musical supervisor and arranger.

How successful has it been?

The musical won Best New Musical at the Olivier, WhatsOnStage and BroadwayWorld Awards in 2022. It played in London for five years, closing in the West End on 12 April 2026 after being seen by more than 2.3 million people. It has also played on Broadway and in Sydney, toured North America, and is running in Japan, Germany and on cruise ships, with a French production to follow. Worldwide, more than 5.5 million people have now seen it.

Photo: Mark Senior.