Theatre Review - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
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| John Dagleish and Clare Foster [Marc Brenner] |
JETHRO Compton relocates F Scott Fitzgerald’s short story to a fishing village on the north coast of Cornwall. It opens in 1918 and touches on some of the major events of the 20th century.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, music by Darren Clark, premiered at Southwark Playhouse in 2019 featuring just five players. This triumphant production arrives in the West End reworked to accommodate a cast of 13 musician-actors and two new leads.
Benjamin Button (John Dagleish) is born 70 years old and ages in reverse. His mother takes her life soon after he is born and his father, ashamed of his “unnaturalness”, keeps Benjamin hidden away in an attic.
As his desire for “a little life” grows, Benjamin finds solace at the local tavern where he falls for vivacious barmaid Elowen Keene (Clare Foster), 30 years his junior.
Their families are against their union and Benjamin leaves home in despair.
He works as a fisherman, and fights in the Second World War. Then the lovers meet again, marry and have two children. But events conspire against them and their happiness.
Believing Elowen is better off without his ever-younger self, Benjamin ventures abroad to America.
Throughout his travels, his beloved Elowen fills his thoughts and gradually he realises where he truly belongs.
The ensemble, known as the Strangers, narrate the story, aided by an exuberant score and Chi-San Howard’s jaunty choreography. Clark’s style encompasses folk, mournful ballads, rousing numbers and sea shanties. Compton, who also directs, dresses the set with salvaged items washed ashore in north Cornwall.
“From small acorns, great oaks grow” and this ebullient show is one of them. It occasionally branches off into too many directions, but for the most part this is an immersive and affecting musical performed by a stunning company.
Until February 15