Currently, Orlando Gibbs is making his West End musical debut playing George McFly in BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical at London’s Adelphi Theatre. Orlando works with a cast including Vasco Emauz as Marty McFly, and as George, he performs My Myopia and Put Your Mind To It in the show. In 2019, Orlando played Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet in Rome, also at the Harold Pinter Theatre, with Bedouin Shakespeare Company, and he was a writer and performer at the Musical Comedy Awards Final both in 2021 and 2022. We caught up with Orlando about playing George McFly in BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical at the Adelphi Theatre, making his West End musical debut with the show and his time as Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet.
How are you finding your time so far playing George McFly in BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical at the Adelphi Theatre in the West End?
I’m having an absolute blast! From the first day of rehearsals it has been a joy and privilege to play George and be part of such a skilful and cheerful group of people. The story offers such strong messages of positivity and hope that to play any part in its execution is an extraordinary gift.
How is it getting into character as George, and what do you enjoy most about playing him?
I have found playing George challenging in the most rewarding way. His adolescent struggles (friends, love, anxieties about the future) are extremely relatable, and important to convey truthfully. George can be very funny and it is tempting to overegg his awkwardness. What I enjoy most is finding that balance between being genuine and excavating his humour in a natural way. I also love performing the different versions of him when life hasn’t gone his way in the 80s the first time round, and then completely changing for the updated 80s thanks to Marty’s help in the 50s.
What is it like performing at the Adelphi Theatre and seeing the audience response to the musical?
It is thrilling to perform in such a technically accomplished and complex show on such a great stage. The Adelphi is a wonderful building to call a workplace. It is always gratifying to see how much the audience enjoy the show, because we are enjoying it so much on stage.
BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical marks your West End musical debut, how did you feel finding out you’d be joining the cast as George McFly?
I was ecstatic to be offered the role but a little trepidatious. The character and Crispin Glover’s performance are iconic, and those who have performed the stage role before, Hugh Coles and Ollie Nicholas, leave equally huge shoes to fill. Fortunately, any fear is always silenced by how exciting it is to get to play such an intricate character six days a week.
Do you have a favourite song on the musical’s soundtrack and how is it performing your numbers live?
My favourite songs, aside from the ones I get to sing (My Myopia and Put Your Mind To It), is It Works and Gotta Start Somewhere. It Works is lyrically dense and offers a punchy introduction to who Doc is, and Gotta Start Somewhere is a total barnstormer.
I love singing My Myopia and Put Your Mind To It, because they respectively offer opportunities for George to be more reflective and then to lose his inhibitions and go for it. My high point of the show is Marty and George singing and rocking out together in Put Your Mind To It. Performing the songs with such a powerful orchestra and amazing musicians is a real treat.
What is it like working alongside Vasco Emauz as Marty McFly, and with the rest of the cast?
Vasco is a terrific performer and it will remain one of the joys of my life that I have gotten the opportunity to rehearse and perform with him. He captures Marty’s exasperated humour and earnestness very skilfully and it’s really fun to bounce off each other. Everyone else in the cast delivers an electrifying performance each time and it’s a privilege to share the stage with them.
Why would you recommend booking tickets to see BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical in London’s West End?
It delivers on every level. It is technically superb and the design astonishes. Narratively it is rock solid and offers very satisfying pay-offs. The music is deftly constructed and expertly performed. A range of ages can enjoy it equally.
In 2019, you played Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet in Rome and at the Harold Pinter Theatre with Bedouin Shakespeare Company, how was this?
I hugely enjoyed working at the Globe in Rome, and getting a sense of how theatre is produced outside of an English-speaking context. Benvolio is tricky because on the surface he could easily be classed as a bland people pleaser. The challenge is to make his urge to keep the peace compelling. Neatly enough, Cory English, who plays Doc, has also worked with the same company, with a different show.
Can you tell us about some of the other shows you’ve performed in, which includes Cut and Paste (as John) and Mr Burns: A Post-Electric Play (as Gibson / Homer)?
Those were two plays that I did a while back, as part of my drama school’s graduating season. They were instructive and I learned a lot.
We understand you were a writer and performer at the Musical Comedy Awards Final in 2021 and 2022, what was this like to do?
Yes, a lot of my performing experience is in gigging as a stand-up / musical comedian. That particular competition was fabulous because it got me back into the rhythm of gigging post-COVID. They were great shows to do as they took place at the Bloomsbury Theatre.
Do you have any stand-out highlights from your comedy career so far?
That competition was fantastic to do, and when competitions go well, they can feel euphoric. I did one in March 2022 and we were told that a secret headliner was going to perform in the second half so we all had to go in the first half of the show, and when it came to the second half, Kevin Hart came into the club and did an hour to warm up for his tour. It felt exciting to have been on the same stage!
I should also mention John Rando, the director of BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical, as I have learned an enormous amount from him about comedy, so that experience is definitely up there too!
How did you get into performing and was it something you always wanted to do professionally?
I didn’t start performing until I was 18 and at university, but was immediately hooked and envious of performers who were far superior to me. I thought if I can even get close to them, I will have achieved a great deal.
What are some of your favourite theatre shows to watch?
I’ve seen Austentatious: The Improvised Jane Austen Novel a few times and it’s always excellent.
How do you like to spend your free time?
I love playing the piano and swimming, and I try to read as much as possible. Recent highlights have been Short Cuts by Raymond Carter, A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, and Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn.
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