Review: THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, Ambassadors Theatre

I’m not sure F Scott Fitzgerald would recognise what Jethro Compton and Darren Clark have done with his intriguing short story about a man living his life, while aging in reverse. But I am sure that he could not help but be utterly charmed by this beautifully crafted show that vibrates with heart and soul.

In The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttton, Fitzgerald’s Baltimore becomes the rugged North Cornwall coast. Benjamin is born in 1918, aged 69, complete with pipe and bowler hat. Hidden away by his shame-filled parents, after a decade of staring out of the window, he escapes to the warmth and community of the Pickled Crab pub. There he drinks beer and shyly observes barmaid Elowen. His grey life becomes flooded with colour as they fall in love, but then lose one another as World War Two takes hold. They later reunite to have children and get married, all as Benjamin grows younger and younger and the inevitability of his fate gets ever closer.

Using the ensemble as narrator, Benjamin’s life and events are ticked off in precise periods of years, months and days. The message is to appreciate time passing and to enjoy every minute that you have. There is great sadness in the story, but also joy and playfulness.

Olivier Award-winner Jamie Parker was an incredible Benjamin in the previous 2023 iteration at the Southwark Playhouse. He is replaced by another Olivier Award-winner, John Dagleish, who is shyly and very sweetly charming as Benjamin, although there could be more contrast in his movements as an older and younger Benjamin.

Clare Foster is feisty and straight-talking as love interest Elowen. No shrinking violet, she also brings delicacy and pathos when necessary, specifically in the tear-jerking ballad “Time”, exploring how there is always time, even if it is short.

This is very much an ensemble piece with the cast of talented actor-musicians never missing a beat, swirling around the stage to choreographer Chi-San Howard’s fluid direction. With such excellent harmonies and collaborative stage work, it seems churlish to highlight any performer in particular, but the endlessly adaptable Jonathan Charles and Jack Quarton as the amiable Jack Trenlee both deserve particular praise.

If you think folk songs and sea shanties are unlikely to make a hit musical, prepare to be very pleasantly surprised. The show is jam-packed with top quality, empathetic and carefully crafted songs, from the loud and vibrant to delicate and moving ballads. The music pulls you into the immersive quality of the show, with such flow and fluidity that a rumoured cast recording is surely inevitable. If you liked Come From Away or Once, you will fall in love with this score. 

Standouts include “The Kraken’s Lullaby”; beguiling and mystical with its haunting instrumental elements, and sung beautifully by a crystal-voiced Philippa Hogg, who has been with the show from the start in 2019.

Charming folk ditty “When E’re She Looked At Me”, is a veritable earworm about both drinking and falling in love, with its lush, lilting fiddle and witty lyrics. “Shippin’ Out Tomorrow” is an anthemic Act One closer with gorgeous brass and rousing drums.

“The Tide is Comin' In” has a wonderful build of power and emotion, as it highlights the inevitability of the finite nature of Benjamin’s happiness and stability.

There are often problems when a writer decides to direct, not to mention produce and also design a show, but Jethro Compton proves that he has sound judgment; Dagleish is not encumbered by prosthetics or makeup, with Compton sensibly taking us through the last ten years of Benjamin’s life through words and music alone. Compton also shows he can kill his babies, as the show has been judiciously edited since its inception, creating a tighter and more flowing production.

His design is deceptively simple, based around a ramshackle wooden platform, with rusting iron and a tangle of fishing nets and buoys. All complimented by Zoe Spurr’s ethereal lighting, the harshness of the ever-present Celtic Sea never feels far away. The Ambassadors Theatre is the perfect venue for this show, being smaller and more intimate than other larger stages.

Developing West End musicals is hard; for every Operation Mincemeat, there is a Why Am I So Single?. With its unique and haunting melodies, über-talented cast and genuinely touching story, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has the ingredients for a long and triumphant run. It deserves every success.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is at the Ambassadors Theatre until 15 February 2025

Photo Credits: Marc Brenner