Interview: 'Mental, But In The Best Way!': Actor Oliver Halford on Being Alternate Marty McFly in BACK TO THE FUTURE THE MUSICAL

Back to the Future The Musical has been bringing audiences on a time-travelling adventure on the West End for four years, adapting the iconic 1985 film by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale for the stage. Recently, we had the chance to chat with Oliver Halford, who was cast as the alternate Marty McFly after an open casting call. We discussed what the casting process was like, how this role in particular is full-circle for him and how he survived an absolutely chaotic opening week!

What made you want to be a part of Back to the Future The Musical?

It's quite a wholesome, full-circle story with this show! When I was auditioning for drama schools, I went to an open-day summer school for the [London] school that I ended up going to.  Back to the Future had just started previews, so I went to see it that night, because it was my favourite film. I'd watched it hundreds of times! 

So then it came to my third year, and we did an agent panel day, where everyone picks a song and they sing it to a room full of agents. It's the most intimidating thing up to that point in your life, because there's just sixty odd people all sat there, more or less determining whether you're about to have a career or not - or at least it feels that way! And so I was talking to my singing teacher, like, “Well, what parts would you like to play? What's your dream?” I was like, “I'd love to be Marty McFly!”

So I sung the opening song, “It’s Only A Matter of Time.” It very much felt like this show and being at drama school kept crossing paths. So then when the open call came up, which was at the start of my third year, I was like, “Nothing's going to come of it, but I'd be silly not to at least try!” But then this happened, which is bizarre!

What was it like going through that open call for the role of Marty McFly? 

Well, it was really bizarre! In January, they announced that they were doing this global search for Marty McFly...so I was like, “I'll send it off. Nothing will come of it.” And then, a week or so later, I got a call going, “Hey, we're from the Back to the Future team. We've seen your self-tape and we'd like to get you in to do a in-person audition.” I wasn't prepared for that! So I then went in and I had to sing “It’s Only a Matter of Time,” “The Power of Love,” and then do three scenes. It was a lot, but it was my first professional audition. 

They're like, “Please go sit outside a second, we're just gonna have a discussion.” So I went outside. Then they're like, “Oh, we'd like you to come back this afternoon to do a movement call,” so I went and did that, and then I went home. I was like, “I've done a self tape, the material and a movement call. I'm dead happy. Nothing's going to come of this, because there were, like, other people in there who've done jobs - I've not even graduated! I'm just here for a good time, and it was a great experience. My first audition was for my dream role!”

Getting the train back, I get an email going, “Thanks so much for coming in today. We're not going to see you for Marty, but we'd like you to come in for the ensemble.”.

So then I went in and did a dance round. Through all my training, I was like, “I'm an actor/singer first, not a dancer.” I'd never had a dance lesson before. So I was in my head, I was like, “I'm never going to be able to be in the ensemble!”.

Through the whole process, getting the job is not my goal here. Doing these rounds is just enough of an achievement. This is really reassuring and self-affirming that I can do it, and these opportunities are there. A few days later, I got another email going. “We'd like to invite you for a final, please prepare the cover Marty stuff.”. So I prepped all that stuff and did my audition. 

And then another few days later, I get a phone call from a unknown number... they're like, “Hi. So the Back to the Future team really enjoyed seeing you. They'd like to offer you ensemble with alternate Marty.”

And then I did that show that night, and in my first entrance in that show, I skateboarded on. So then that night, I skateboarded on stage, going, “Next time I do this, I'm going to be Marty McFly.” So the whole process was absolutely nuts. It was like seven rounds over six weeks, and all the while, I'm also doing preparation for my agent panel day, our showcase and our show! And then six months later, I'm sat in the Marty dressing room!

Hey, not a bad first gig, right? 

Not in the slightest. It's ridiculous. 

What was it like making your West End debut? 

I had loads of family and friends in and it was really wholesome. I was just like, “Oh my god, wow, I made it. Here I am. This is insane!” I was just on cloud nine, having the best time ever. Went home and went to bed because I was exhausted! 

I made my West End debut one day, and then the next day, did two shows as Marty, having not done a dress rehearsal either! Because the plan was to do a dress rehearsal that weekend, and we didn't get to it. So they just went, “You’ve done the show, you’'ve done the tech. We all have faith and we wouldn't let this happen if we weren't ready for it, but you're going on. Have fun!” I don't remember much about that first Marty show, to be fair! It was very much adrenaline and trusting that I knew what I was doing. Then I got to the end and was like, “Oh my god, wow, that happened!” Then I did five shows that week as Marty. It was most incredible week of my life. 

So that was all opening week! Did you end up having that rehearsal during the weekend?

The scheduled day for the dress rehearsal became other stuff, because they're like, “We don't think you need a dress rehearsal.” I was like, “Yeah, me neither!” I did my dress rehearsal in front of 1500 people!

But it was the best way for it to happen, really, because there was no building up that excitement and anxiety. There was no time to get worked up about it. I just have to go and do it, which was very nerve wracking, but so fun! And the company are incredible. And everyone in this building so great. So yeah, that West End debut week was absolutely mental, but like a week that I'll absolutely never forget, because it was incredible!

What is it like switching between the ensemble role and Marty as an alternate?

It's odd! It's quite nice for me because Thursdays are my day. I do two shows on a Thursday. So coming in on a Thursday, you're in the same dressing room, doing the show twice...It's exhausting, but in the best way possible. And it's a ridiculously fun part to play. Every now and then, there's these weird moments where I'm like, sat in the car, dressed as Marty McFly, going, “This is my job. I'm getting paid to do this.” I feel like a little kid playing dress up, except someone's paying me to do it. It's incredible!

Do you have a favourite song from Back to the Future The Musical, either to perform or to listen to? 

I really like doing “Put Your Mind to It,” the duet with George, because it's so much fun. It's very much, just push it to the extremes, really have fun with it. You're just two guys having a laugh, and you're trying to get George out of his shell. The first time we ran that in rehearsals properly, I was just beaming the entire time because this is so much fun! 

What do you hope audiences take away from Back to the Future The Musical?

We've had great responses from everything. There's a reason the show's been on for four years - audiences love it! But I remember watching it for the first time, seeing the film happen live on stage, and the special effects and everything are absolutely incredible! But also, the overall moral of the show, and the line that keeps coming back - Doc says it, Marty says it and then George has it at the end - “You can accomplish anything if you just put your mind to it.” Because I saw it on the day that I first went to that drama school, and then throughout those three years, really wanting to play Marty, that stuck! 

And finally, how would you describe Back to the Future The Musical in one word?

Ooh, I'd love to say some really unique, cool, word, but the only one that comes to mind is “mental.” When you watch it, you're like, “That was mental!”  So mental, but in the best way!

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