'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' Off-Broadway review — classic short story gets a folksy musical twist

Read our review of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button off Broadway, Jethro Compton and Darren Clark's Olivier Award-winning musical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel.

Summary

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a love story centered on a man who ages in reverse
• The musical tells the story in a coastal Cornish setting with a charmingly folksy score and multitalented cast of actor/musicians
• The show is recommended for fans of the original short story or the 2008 movie, fans of romances, and fans of folksy musicals like Come From Away and Hadestown

There are few things we can take for granted in life, and one of them is the slow march of time. It’s a comfort to know that it works on us all, even as we mourn the loss of it — time is inevitable for everyone. It must be this universal truth that makes the story of Benjamin Button so compelling. What if time worked the same for everyone except you?

This is the now-100-year-old premise of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: A boy is cursed to age in reverse. Born as a 70-year-old man, Benjamin (Andrew Durand) is already far older than his parents, and he will live to be younger than his grandchildren. Friends who knew him in his “youth” as an old man will never believe he is the same, much younger person decades later. Perhaps saddest of all, he only gets to be the same age as the woman he loves for a single year.

Adapted and directed by Jethro Compton, who collaborated with Darren Clark on the lyrics, this is Benjamin Button as we’ve 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’s choreography. (Just when you think they can’t play more instruments, they pull out even more.)

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’s unique perspective painfully obvious to the audience. He is matched by the grounding performance of Kelsee Kimmel as Elowen Keene, Benjamin’s 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’s life.

There aren’t many songs designed to showcase vocal range, even for Durand in the lead role (though "The Kraken’s Lullaby," sung by Sachiko Mae as Mary Button, certainly elicits goosebumps). But the folksy warmth of the score doesn’t 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.

The stage isn’t a large one, and it’s 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 — an incredible achievement for a set with so few moving parts.

Stuffed with repeating references to time and the tides, there’s an undeniable folktale quality to the way Compton has chosen to retell this story. But despite the mythological premise, the stakes of Benjamin’s 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’re 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’s infused with a gentle humor, a persistent loveliness, and an irresistibly toe-tapping score that will only leave you smiling.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button summary

In a coastal town in Cornwall, in December 1918, Roger and Mary Button have a baby boy named Benjamin — 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 “child,” Benjamin’s parents lock him in the attic for the beginning of his life.

But as the years fall away from him and it becomes clear he’s aging in reverse, Benjamin can’t 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.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is based on a short story of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald, first published in 1922.

What to expect at The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Like in the 2008 film adaptation, Compton’s book sees Benjamin Button born in 1918 after the end of World War I (in Fitzgerald’s short story, Benjamin is born in 1860). Moving up the timeline means World War II has a huge impact on Benjamin’s story, and that he’ll also — as Elowen says disbelievingly in the 1930s — 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.)

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 — from the nosy small-town neighbors to the local pub to the allusions to Cornish landmarks — makes the story feel especially lived-in. That’s not to mention the endearing Cornish accents donned by the cast.

What audiences are saying about The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

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.

• “A unique folk operetta that transports you in a fun and exciting way.” - Show-Score user Jeremy M
• “The reimagining of this beautiful story was a musician’s dream.” - Show-Score user Rachel N
• “Enjoyable enough show, good music (sort of a cross between Riverdance and Enya) but overall not a memorable experience.” - Show-Score user GK
• “The story is so compelling, interesting, and clever, and the cast is so talented, both singing and playing the instruments for this incredible score.” - Show-Score user Aaron Bach

Read more audience reviews of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on Show-Score.

Who should see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

• Fans of Andrew Durand from his previous Broadway work in Dead Outlaw or The Rocky Horror Show will want to see him in the lead role of Benjamin Button, where he once again showcases his range of talent.
• Fans of love stories on stage will have their hearts stolen by Benjamin and Elowen’s sweet and enduring romance.
• Theatregoers who loved the folksy music of Broadway shows like Come From Away, Swept Away, or Hadestown will want to see Benjamin Button, which bears many musical and choreographic similarities.

Learn more about The Curious Case of Benjamin Button off Broadway

Compton’s 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’t been told before.

Learn more about The Curious Case of Benjamin Button on New York Theatre Guide. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is at The Public Theater through December 6.

Photo credit: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button off Broadway. (Photos by Joan Marcus)