Adapted and directed by Jethro Compton, who collaborated with Darren Clark on the lyrics, this is Benjamin Button as we\u2019ve never seen him before. The story is set in a small Cornish harbor town, and the bright, energetic score immediately places us in the local hustle and bustle. The entire ensemble doubles as the band, singing and playing violins, guitars, accordion, cornet, and even a cello, all while they seamlessly dance through Chi-San Howard\u2019s choreography. (Just when you think they can\u2019t play more instruments, they pull out even more.)<\/p>\n
Durand steps into the role of Benjamin with remarkable flexibility. His talent for physical acting is apparent as he adopts the aches and pains of a septuagenarian to start. But he manages to imbue the performance with the sweetness of teenage naivety and first love as well, making Benjamin\u2019s unique perspective painfully obvious to the audience. He is matched by the grounding performance of Kelsee Kimmel as Elowen Keene, Benjamin\u2019s only love. Gorgeous and smart quick-changes (costumes are by Anna Kelsey) allow the ensemble to step out of their roles as narrators and into characters in Benjamin\u2019s life.<\/p>\n
There aren\u2019t many songs designed to showcase vocal range, even for Durand in the lead role (though “The Kraken\u2019s Lullaby,” sung by Sachiko Mae as Mary Button, certainly elicits goosebumps). But the folksy warmth of the score doesn\u2019t miss them. The whole thing has the vibe of being in a cozy, small-town pub and listening to the locals trade folk tales and sing regional songs. And while the show can occasionally feel long, the creators can be forgiven for hesitating to kill their darlings when each song is so well-crafted.<\/p>\n
The stage isn\u2019t a large one, and it\u2019s dominated by scenic design (also by Compton) that firmly reinforces the coastal setting: a large dock and wooden stairs create layers in the space, and the walls and ceilings are draped with fishing nets and buoys. The lighting design (Zoe Spurr) is inventive, most notably in a mesmerizing scene where Benjamin finds himself floating in the harbor amid the flotsam and jetsam of a war-torn boat \u2014 an incredible achievement for a set with so few moving parts.<\/p>\n
Stuffed with repeating references to time and the tides, there\u2019s an undeniable folktale quality to the way Compton has chosen to retell this story. But despite the mythological premise, the stakes of Benjamin\u2019s story are tenderly provincial. One man just wants to watch his little boy playing with other children. Another wishes he could watch his children grow old. And they\u2019re all headed for the same destination: the parish church graveyard along the Cornish coastal path. Benjamin Button may ultimately be a sad tale, but it\u2019s infused with a gentle humor, a persistent loveliness, and an irresistibly toe-tapping score that will only leave you smiling.<\/p>\n
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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button summary<\/p>\n
In a coastal town in Cornwall, in December 1918, Roger and Mary Button have a baby boy named Benjamin \u2014 who is delivered as a 70-year-old man, complete with a three-piece suit, a bowler hat, a cane, and a pipe. Horrified at their unnatural \u201cchild,\u201d Benjamin\u2019s parents lock him in the attic for the beginning of his life.<\/p>\n
But as the years fall away from him and it becomes clear he\u2019s aging in reverse, Benjamin can\u2019t resist the youthful urge to explore the world around him. Every year, he gets younger while his friends and family grow older. But despite his unique condition, Benjamin fights in a war, falls in love, and experiences life to the fullest.<\/p>\n
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is based on a short story of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald, first published in 1922.<\/p>\n
What to expect at The Curious Case of Benjamin Button<\/p>\n
Like in the 2008 film adaptation, Compton\u2019s book sees Benjamin Button born in 1918 after the end of World War I (in Fitzgerald\u2019s short story, Benjamin is born in 1860). Moving up the timeline means World War II has a huge impact on Benjamin\u2019s story, and that he\u2019ll also \u2014 as Elowen says disbelievingly in the 1930s \u2014 live to see a man on the moon. (Fitzgerald did not live to see either of these events come to fruition, as he passed in 1940.)<\/p>\n
But the authorial change that makes this adaptation so special is swapping out the traditional American setting for a small Cornish fishing village. Compton grew up in Cornwall, and the specificity of the setting \u2014 from the nosy small-town neighbors to the local pub to the allusions to Cornish landmarks \u2014 makes the story feel especially lived-in. That\u2019s not to mention the endearing Cornish accents donned by the cast.<\/p>\n
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What audiences are saying about The Curious Case of Benjamin Button<\/p>\n
Benjamin Button is largely a hit with audiences so far, with an 88% rating from a total of 33 reviews on the review aggregator Show-Score. Reviewers have been especially praising the folk music and the multitalented ensemble cast.<\/p>\n
\u201cA unique folk operetta that transports you in a fun and exciting way.\u201d – Show-Score user Jeremy M
\n\u201cThe reimagining of this beautiful story was a musician\u2019s dream.\u201d – Show-Score user Rachel N
\n\u201cEnjoyable enough show, good music (sort of a cross between Riverdance and Enya) but overall not a memorable experience.\u201d – Show-Score user GK
\n\u201cThe story is so compelling, interesting, and clever, and the cast is so talented, both singing and playing the instruments for this incredible score.\u201d – Show-Score user Aaron Bach<\/p>\n
Read more audience reviews of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on Show-Score.<\/a><\/p>\n Who should see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button<\/p>\n Fans of Andrew Durand from his previous Broadway work in Dead Outlaw or The Rocky Horror Show<\/a> will want to see him in the lead role of Benjamin Button, where he once again showcases his range of talent. Learn more about The Curious Case of Benjamin Button off Broadway<\/p>\n Compton\u2019s Benjamin Button retells an old tale with a unique, folklorish nod to Cornwall. Rife with the quiet beauty of everyday life and accompanied by an irresistible score, this is the story of Benjamin Button as it hasn\u2019t been told before.<\/p>\n
\nFans of love stories on stage will have their hearts stolen by Benjamin and Elowen\u2019s sweet and enduring romance.
\nTheatregoers who loved the folksy music of Broadway shows like Come From Away, Swept Away, or Hadestown<\/a> will want to see Benjamin Button, which bears many musical and choreographic similarities.<\/p>\n