How Back To The Future Turned Axel Duffy Into A Leading Man & A True Crowd Favourite

Back To The Future was one of the most exciting musicals to hit the Australian stage in 2025. It gathered rave reviews after opening in Sydney in October, and has been embraced as one of the most visually spectacular productions to ever hit the stage across the world.

Last month though, it was announced that the show will not be touring in 2026 as originally hoped, and will now close on 25 January. High operating costs and softer than expected ticket sales were the reasons cited.

As the production heads into its final months, The Scoop sat down with Axel Duffy, who plays the time travelling teen, Marty McFly. Axel talks all things Back To The Future, including the power the musical has had to bring in new audiences and the joy of working with Roger Bart. Read the full interview below.

Have you had time to reflect on the experience of playing Marty in the Australian premiere of Back To The Future?

It’s been pretty busy, so I don’t think I’ve quite hit reflection yet. But I do get a few ‘pinch me’ moments every night, which is cool. Whether that be doing something in the car that I never imagined I would do on a stage, or being opposite Roger Bart when he is giving an acting masterclass, when he has an audience in the palm of his hand.

So there are a few what I would call ‘pinch me’ moments that I’m really glad I get to soak up every night. I think when this is over, and I get to properly sit down and catch my breath a little bit, they’re the things I’ll reflect on.

What was your connection to the show or the original film?

It’s my dad’s favourite movie. He shared it with me when I was about 12 years old and I loved it. It’s always been on my list of Top Five movies. When I first saw it, I was so obsessed with Michael J. Fox and just how cool he was.

Every morning for about two weeks after seeing it, I’d get up and get ready for school, and as we got into the car, I would run towards it and try to slide over the bonnet. And my Dad would say, “Don’t do it!” So it was a cool, full-circle moment when my parents came to see the show, and my dad got to see me slide over the DeLorean.

I love that. One of the elements of the story is the intergenerational friendship and mentor relationship between a young man, Marty, and a scientist. Have there been any of those moments offstage as well, working opposite Roger Bart? He has played Doc Brown on the West End and Broadway and I expect he brings a lot of experience with him.

Oh, constantly. I think ‘mentor’ is a great way to put it. He’s been so, so generous with me. He came out for the entire rehearsal period. So often, an international who’s done the show a thousand times won’t come out and rehearse a show they know back to front. But he made the effort because he wanted to build a relationship with me and build our version of the show.

And that kind of generosity has continued. I could not put into words how much that man has taught me, directly or indirectly. Just getting to watch what he does, because he’s a master of the craft, he’s a legend for a reason.

This is possibly the best bit. I’ve never met anyone who has so quickly understood the best places to eat in a city, and he will share that so freely. I love a lot of the 70s and 80s rock music that we get to experience in the show. And I’ve been trying to delve a little deeper into that. He’s an absolute dictionary on 70s and 80s rock music.

Almost every night, he’ll come into my dressing room before the show and say, “I found another song you probably haven’t heard of yet. It was on the B side of this vinyl I bought, but this was one of my favourite songs.” So he’s always playful. But I think he’s just really passionate about sharing what he knows, whether that be on stage or off. And it’s really beautiful.

I love hearing that. Let’s talk a little bit about the audiences and what they’ve been like. Have you had any stage door moments or fan encounters that you can share?

I’ve never been a part of a show that people have been so outwardly passionate about. There will be 8, 9 and 10 year olds dressed up as Marty, and their parents will be dressed up as well. It’s been a beautiful experience to see how the movie has spanned generations and brought people together.

Theatre can seem quite exclusive or daunting for those who haven’t gone before or aren’t really familiar with it. A show like this allows people to take a risk and to feel a little safer coming along. That’s been really cool to see: people experiencing that magic for the first time.

You are a WAAPA graduate, and we are at that time of year when auditionees are receiving their drama school offers. Not everyone, of course, will receive an offer. I wondered if you have any advice for people doing the audition circuit who might be facing next year with no firm plans?

This one pops up quite often at our matinee Q&As, and what I always like to say is, yes, I went to drama school. I needed three years, and then, to be honest, a little bit more time to figure out what I was doing. But I’ve got so many friends and colleagues who came about being in theatre in a different way.

Obviously, drama school is a full-time course and a great way to train and practice the craft. But it’s not the only way. I think the biggest thing I got from uni was that I got to see more theatre. That, to me, is the best training ground. Obviously I needed to practice my singing, I needed to learn how to dance. It’s great to study acting. But the best thing I got from my time at uni was an opinion on theatre.

And the great thing is, that’s not exclusive to a drama school, you can do that anywhere. You can be putting on independent theatre. You can be doing readings of plays and musicals in your living room with friends.

It doesn’t matter what school you go to. I think there are really successful people who have come out of all of them. And that shows that it’s not necessarily the school you go to, it’s the work you’re willing to put in while you’re there.

The last thing I’ll say is, the most important thing about theatre is to be passionate about it. Because it’s really hard to do. You talk about people looking towards next year and maybe not having anything lined up. Well, I’m the same. That part doesn’t change. So it’s got to be something you are passionate about. And you have to keep that alive as much as you can.

A lot of us have done professional theatre that we probably weren’t passionate about. And it’s a hard situation, because you’re not doing your best work. So as much as you can, stay excited and curious about it, and I think you’ll succeed no matter what route it takes to get there.

That is such beautiful advice. I’d like to end with something we ask everyone we talk to. Are there any shows or roles on your bucket list?

Marty McFly was pretty high up on that bucket list. I love The Outsiders, I’ve loved the movie, I’ve loved the novel. I haven’t seen a full version of the musical yet. But from everything I’ve listened to, it’s a really cool adaptation of that. So that’s on the bucket list. I’ve also always wanted to do West Side Story.

What kind of scares me, and I think it’s exciting as well is, I’d love to do a two-person play. Coming into this show, I get a lot of scenes with one other character, and I’d love the chance to just sit in those moments for a little bit longer doing something like that.

Back To The Future: The Musical runs to 25 January 2026 at the Lyric Theatre Sydney. 55 Pirama Road Pyrmont NSW 2009.

Tickets: https://backtothefuturemusical.com.au/tickets/sydney/

Website: https://backtothefuturemusical.com.au/

Socials:https://www.instagram.com/bttfmusicalau/

Photo credits: Daniel Boud