Vasco Emauz and Orlando Gibbs talk ‘Back To The Future’: “Doing something that’s been done before requires a more specific kind of creativity”

The worldwide musical theatre hit continues to enthrall West End audiences as it celebrates its third anniversary with the welcoming of a new cast. Guillermo Nazara chats with the lead actors portraying father-and-son duo George and Marty McFly, as they travel 88 miles per hour to discuss all the fun facts about a show that’s literally meant to soar.

How does it feel to be starring in one of the hottest new musicals in the West End, especially when it’s your first job?

VE: It’s something I’m still in the process of coming to terms with! It still doesn’t feel real. It’s just so grand. It’s such a big show and franchise. And the fact that I’m playing Marty McFly, who’s one of the most famous characters in film history, is something I keep trying to get accustomed to. It’s really a lot – but in a good way!

OG: I’m not massively experienced with this sort of shows. And, on the other hand, this is my West End debut too – even though I’ve been around in the theatre industry for years now. It’s just so fantastic to be a part of this production – not only to be in something so iconic, but also to play a character that’s so relevant for a piece that has so much pop cultural weight. It’s truly a challenge! There are expectations about the energy they should have. Of course, we’re encouraged to bring our own kind of creativity into the roles, but the challenge lies in keeping the tradition of the character while also innovating wherever you can. It’s such a privilege to feel so much love from the crowd. Every show feels like the best so far!

And how do you balance people’s expectations about your performance with your own vision of the character?

VE: The fact that it’s a musical helps in some way. At the end of the day, Marty didn’t sing in the movie at all. Even Johnny B. Goode was just Michael J. Fox doing it. But there were not any songs in the plot, so that allows me to bring my own musicality and background into the score. I listened to the tracks, but after that, I would think of how I would approach it, and how Marty would do it. He’s a teenage from the 80s, so I need to take that into account. Our musical director, Jim Henson, has helped me a lot into bringing my own personality into the songs – which means adding some more rock ‘n’ roll into it!

As for the acting, we need to acknowledge the fact that our characters are incredibly iconic. So we need to draw a line. It’s important to honour the original source material while still making your own choices. The musical is actually very close to the film, but it’s not a carbon copy. That allows us to make some decisions. But obviously, you need to consider who your character is. It’s not a brand new show, so we already know who they are. From there, we make our approach.

OG: It’s quite similar to when old classics are revived. If, for example, somebody does Hamlet, everyone has at least a rough idea of who he is. Doing something that’s been done before requires a more specific kind of creativity. It’s just a different recipe. A lot of the ingredients are already there – you just include additional elements that gel well with them. Turning into a musical also helps because it alters the genre that people are watching. That means that things are not going to be the same as for the way they are delivered. So does the venue – if these was a musical told on the silver screen instead of a big stage, it would be different. Whatever is recognizable about George or Marty needs to be close to what was done in the movie, but also needs to make senses within a theatre.

What’s been the process of developing your roles and explore that fictional relationship between father and son?

OG: From the very first day, I felt like we had really hit it off – not only as a company, but also as a pair. During that first week of rehearsals, Vasco was just there all the time (laughs) – basically all that I needed to do required him next to me too. So that made the process very smooth. Basically, it’s consisted of exploring each other’s timings in our deliveries, as well as deepen into that father-son relationship the show explores. I guess Marty has two parental figures: there’s Doc and George McFly. It’s really fun to see how both unfold – one being a quasi-fatherly figure, and the other being the real one, but also requiring Marty to be a friend to him. It’s very interesting to get both bonds to the stage and see how we, as actors, are playing with each other. For me, it’s all about finding the moments when it’s honest and emotionally intimate. It’s a connection that George does not understand, but it’s mysterious to build that amicable connection with someone who you are genetically linked to.

VE: It’s very interesting also because Marty gets to see two versions of his father: when he’s 47 and when he’s a teenager. When he’s an adult, he’s just a shell of human being (working for the sake of working and with no ambitions or aspirations). But when Marty travels in time, he gets to know him better: he was a creative person and had big dreams. The emotional connection and friendship that they build is really wonderful – especially with Marty acting as a coach to his own dad! There’s a bit of role reversal there. But at the end of the day, it’s George that changes himself thanks to Marty’s help. So it’s very interesting to explore how they strengthen that bond, and Marty finds out that he’s father is cooler than he thought he was. The hug we share at the end of the show is always the highlight of the performance!

Have your characters and their relationship evolve in any way as you keep exploring them?

VE: I think so. Every show is so different. We all try to keep it alive and react to what’s happening in the scene. There are nights when you feel that you should take a different path. Even though we’ve only been here for little over a month, and things feel very fresh, you keep finding those little details everyday. My Marty McFly tonight is definitely different to the one on opening night.

Have you found any particular challenges in this show?

OG: Well, physically… I’m knackered! But I’ve never been so thrilled to be so knackered. The energy is always on the front foot. It’s a very joyous show, but it requires a lot of stamina! I’ve never been in better shape that I am now! From an acting perspective, it’s all the listening you must keep doing to guarantee the show is always fresh.

Have you had any fun bloopers you’d like to share?

VE: I’ve fallen from skateboard so many times – lying on my ass!

OG: So have I, but with no skateboard – it was basically like stumbling on a banana peel!

VE: Also, right after a month doing it, I got more confidence about my delivery, so I decided to exit in a different way during one of the scenes – that only led me to hit myself with one of the proscenium walls! I got a huge cut on my forehead and started bleeding – without even realising. So I just got back on my skateboard and carried on with the show!

Why come see Back To The Future?

VE: The DeLorean. It’s just so insane what they’ve done there. The first time I saw it, I was mesmerized.

OG: To see Vasco! But also, because it’s such a fun, joyous show. It has everything you could possibly want for a grand spectacle night in the West End: special effects, great music, great story and great tech. A lot of love has gone into its creation, and into its maintenance too.

Back To The Future plays at London’s Adelphi Theatre from Wednesdays to Mondays. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara