The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Rating: ★★★★★
Venue: Ambassadors Theatre, London
Cast: Matthew Burns, Jonathan Charles, Oonagh Cox, John Dagleish, Katy Ellis, Anna Fordham, Clare Foster, Philippa Hogg, Damien James, Elliot Mackenzie, Ann Marcuson, Jack Quarton and Benedict Salter

Under the light of a full moon, something most curious occurs… Benjamin Button is born old. Bound to the fate of growing younger each day, Benjamin wants nothing more than to live a little life. But will he ever find a place to belong? Only time and tide will tell. An electrifying journey through the timeless tale of a love that defies all odds.

Here are two facts: time and tide wait for no man, and this musical is the event of the year.

After an acclaimed run at the Southwark Playhouse in 2023 (and winning the Offies award for Best Musical), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is back, this time at the Ambassador's Theatre. Based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story, we follow the tale of a man who arrives in this world as an octogenarian, and ages in reverse.

Nothing could have prepared me for the way this show blew me away. From an ensemble of the most talented performers who not only sing and dance but also play the instruments that brilliantly underscore the genius writing of each song, to the stage design that bends the rules of perspective and transports the audience to the sea, to the leads at the helm of this triumphant production, Benjamin Button is the show of the year.

In big part, the magic comes from the playfulness of the storytelling. The show's motif of time and countdowns is present in every song, in the upbeat toe-tappers like A Little Life and When E're She Looks At Me (my personal favourite), to the heart-breaking The Kraken's Lullaby. It ebbs and flows, much like the current, from moments of levity and tenderness to the saddest chapters of Benjamin's journey with ease. A hallmark of a good show is when you sit down, and next thing you know, the intermission is here. Time simply vanishes while you are engrossed in the story that starts in a small Cornish town, goes into the sea, out to war, and through so many emotional peaks and valleys that you'll forget the world outside the Ambassador's Theatre.

John Dagleish as Benjamin deserves every single accolade available. The magic of live theatre has its limitations, and the biggest question I had as someone coming to the show for the first time was how they were going to manage the reverse aging. Through the most stellar performance, naturally! Dagleish brings to life a sympathetic Benjamin, one you can't help but love from his first appearance on stage. His charm as old Benjamin early in the play is the most wholesome performance I have seen in a long time, and as it goes on and his predicament becomes more and more pressing you are right there with him, wishing he could have everything he wants.

Clare Foster is the perfect complement to Dagleish's Benjamin. The casting is inspired, if only for the chemistry they share, but that's not all there is to her performance. From her first encounters with Benjamin to the later scenes in the show, Foster brings a spark to Elowen Keene that truly ties everything together.

The costumes (Anna Kelsey), the lighting (Zoe Spurr), the sound design (Luke Swaffield)! There is not a single thing to fault in this show.

If you are looking for something to warm your heart this winter, Benjamin Button should be your first stop.

You can book tickets to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, here.

Review by Luma

**photo credit: Marc Brenner**