By Constance Drugeot & Léna Fontaine

“★★★★★ – A beautifully crafted piece of theatre that will leave its mark on the West End for quite a while.”

Is there a story more peculiar—or exceptional—than a man who ages backwards? Well, we’re about to dive into it, but one thing is for sure: We haven’t seen something as unique and phenomenal as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in a very long time! 

Since we saw the show at Southwark Playhouse in the summer of 2023, we were hoping it would make a comeback in the West End. Well, about a year and 4 months later, here we are, making our way through the Ambassadors Theatre, impatiently waiting to hear Benjamin Button’s extraordinary life story again. 

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is the kind of show that sweeps you off your feet and embarks you on an emotional journey filled with foot-stomping music and unexpected twists. A beautifully crafted piece of theatre that will leave its mark on the West End for quite a while. 

For the grand return of this show, the Ambassadors Theatre has been redecorated to resemble a small Cornish fishing village, where our unordinary tale takes place. As you wait and wander through the tiny theatre, your attention will be caught by small reminders of the story such as newspapers from the West Country Chronicles on the wall, featuring headlines such as “Vauxhall Twelve collided with popular local sheep”, “local tea room in hot water after tea-spilling incident” or even “Will we live to see a man harvest cheese on the moon?”. Titles that echo lines and moments from the show, enhancing the peculiarity of this tale. In the bar, strange-looking teapots and “Pickled Crab” signs are hanging about, making us feel like we are part of the story, wandering through Miss Moncrief’s tearoom or the local pub, ‘The Pickled Crab’. 

That is without even mentioning the stage in itself! From the fishing nets hanging from the ceiling to the wooden fish boxes to the seagulls cooing in the background, we truly feel transported to the seaside. The wooden structure of the stage adorned with many fairy lights enhances this vintage and intimate atmosphere, taking us, alongside Benjamin, on our own journey through time. 

Most of the cast was in the original production at the Southwark Playhouse in 2023, reprising their role for the West End transfer. And the actors and musicians are nothing short of amazing. Masterfully playing the cello, the violin, the piano, the drums, the flute, the accordion, and many more, they truly give life to the story. Never is there a time where you feel bored or waiting for something to happen as the musical easily draws you in with everything it has to offer. With ease, they slip in and out of the story, either taking part in it or narrating it. What strikes the most, is the way they all work and move as one. As Benjamin goes through his life, so do all the other characters and we get to follow them on their journey. 

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a show like no other with soul-stirring music and storytelling”

The opening song “The Western Wind” sets the tone perfectly! Blending cornish melodies with folklore sounds all the while keeping a dynamic atmosphere and narration, these talented actors draw us into the story from the very beginning. Time stops in the tiny auditorium of the Ambassadors Theatre as we go through the extraordinary backward life of Benjamin Button.   

New to the cast are John Dagleish and Clare Foster. Playing the two protagonists, Benjamin Button and “the only woman he will ever love”, Elowen Keene, they never look like newcomers and manage to keep the characters fresh in their own way. If sometimes the graveness of the situation can bring the characters down, Dagleish’s Benjamin always seems to find hope in the darkness, delivering a moving performance. His counterpart, Clare Foster, as Eloween is self-assured, at times sassy and deeply touching. The chemistry felt real and you never stop rooting for them despite the trials and tribulations they go through. The beautiful ballad “The Moon and the Sea” from the First Act depicts the start of their deep connection which will last until the last second of the show.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a show like no other with soul-stirring music and storytelling. Some of our favorite moments are when the cast come all together in songs like in “A Matter of Time” or “Home”. All the characters and their stories are touching despite having limited time – pun intended – such as the mother of Benjamin, Philippa Hogg, who delivers a heartbreaking and thrilling rendition of “The Kraken’s Lullaby”. 

This show remains unique in the way the “minor” characters become fundamental to the storyline. The inhabitants of the little Cornish village all play an important part in the trajectory of Benjamin’s life: what would have happened if Mr Bennet had not crashed his car? Or if Maureen Moncrief had not let her oven on? This leads to upbeat scenes where we see Mr and Mrs Bennet quarrel over tiny things, or Elowen’s mother Elowen’s mother and Benjamin’s father warning their children about the danger and foolishness of love. Despite following Benjamin’s life, the show is about every one of these stories intertwined in a beautiful and joyful celebration of life and love. Hats off to Matthew Burns, Jonathan Charles, Oonagh Cox, Katy Ellis, Anna Fordham, Philippa Hogg, Damien James, Elliot Mackenzie, Ann Marcuson, Jack Quarton and Benedict Salter for being the beating heart of this joyful company. 

Although the soul of the story remains unchanged, the show in itself has gone through many changes since the 2023 production in the Southwark Playhouse. The music feels more intense and moving – there are more folklore intonations and the acto-muso dimension takes an ever significant place within the musical. One thing we loved is when Benjamin and Elowen talk for the first time, the “ensemble” plays continuously in the background, replicating the atmosphere of a typical British pub. 

The new version of the song “Home”, taking place on fishing boats instead of in a mine, sounds gorgeous, and does make more sense story-wise. It links perfectly with the recurring theme of the sea. However, there are things we missed from the 2023 production… Such as the beautiful ballad between Benjamin and Elowen “If I Run” when they go looking for each other. We also miss some interactions between characters like the hilarious – yet traumatic – moment when Roger Button, Benjamin’s father, played by Benedict Salter, meets his son and keeps getting shocked by the midwife, Morwena Keene, played by Ann Marcuson. This was one of our most favorite moments, and even though it is still here, the scene is shorter and feels less comical. 

While we’re talking about changes, let’s mention the beautiful work done on the lighting, staging and costume designs. Throughout the show, cast members very rarely leave the stage, even when they are not in a particular scene, they remain in the background, sitting on the steps or higher up on the ‘balcony’, watching the story unfold. The stage and lighting allow all the characters to see and be seen all the while helping the audience focus on the main storylines. 

One gorgeous lightning effect is whenever Benjamin is “lost” at sea and is “saved” by a light coming from above, often representing Elowen’s voice getting him out of the darkness. 

Similarly, the costumes are so cleverly thought-out: the dark, blue-ish colors of the clothes illustrate the Cornish landscapes while our main characters stand out with brighter colors. It is also so interesting to see how the evolution of the costumes marks the time in different way: Benjamin wearing more vivid colors and fewer clothing as he ages down while Elowen’s costumes get simpler and less “younger”. Kudos to Anna Kelsey, Zoe Spurr, Jonathan Gosling, and everyone involved in making this show as beautiful as it is now! And of course, congratulations to the original writers and composers: Jethro Compton and Darren Clark. 

“Don’t miss this extraordinary tale of love, life and loss which will remind you to cherish all the time that we get.”

If our review and love for this show have convinced you to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, it is currently playing at the Ambassadors Theatre. Don’t miss this extraordinary tale of love, life and loss which will remind you to cherish all the time that we get. Don’t walk, RUN! 

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button  – The Ambassador Theatre
Visit benjaminbuttonmusical.com to get tickets