Expect to feel warm and fuzzy at the new musical imported from London by the Public Theater. Not so much adapted from than inspired by the 1922 F. Scott Fitzgerald story of the same name, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a charmer of a musical that possesses distinct Come from Away vibes. Featuring a terrific cast of actor/musicians including recent Tony nominee Andrew Durand (Dead Outlaw) in the title role, the show is a crowd-pleaser that is already being talked about for a Broadway transfer.
With the setting changed from Baltimore to a Cornish fishing village, the story begins in 1918 with the birth of Benjamin, who emerges not as a squawling infant but rather an old man, complete with three-piece suit, bowler hat, and pipe.
When his father loudly objects to this turn of events, a stoic Benjamin points out, “Yer only as old as ya feel,” before asking, “D’you mind if I smoke?”
[Read David Finkle’s ★★★★☆ review here.]
And thus begins the fairy tale-style fable, with Benjamin getting progressively younger as the years go by. His parents keep him locked up and hidden, thinking he’ll inevitably die soon. But when it becomes apparent that he won’t his anguished mother kills herself. When he turns 59, Benjamin, seeking freedom, escapes to the village and has his first beer at a pub. There he instantly falls in love with the barmaid Elowen (Kelsee Kimmel, Hell’s Kitchen), the daughter of the midwife who birthed him, who feels the same way.
Circumstances prevent the two from getting together, with Benjamin becoming a fisherman on a sailing vessel as he continues to get younger. He eventually serves in World War II before reuniting with Elowen. The pair start a happy life together, having two children, even as Benjamin desperately attempts to cover up his increasing youthfulness with hair dye and make-up. But tragedy strikes, causing the pair to separate again for years before being reunited under poignant circumstances.
It’s not much of a story, really, and you can feel the seams fraying the more that it gets stretched out over the show’s two-and-a-half hour running time, especially as it relies so heavily on narration. But the largely sung-through musical written by Jethro Compton (book/lyrics) and Darren Clark (music/lyrics) works nonetheless thanks to Compton’s spirited staging and the rousing performances by the 11-person ensemble who all also play musical instruments and, with the exception of Durand and Kimmel, enact multiple roles. The accents may wobble and the characterizations may be broad, but the overall effect is enveloping. The score, gorgeously arranged by Mark Aspinall and Clark, smacks of Celtic folk music, redolent of sea chanties, with generous doles of mandolin, tambourine, fiddle, and accordion. It begins to feel a bit samey over the course of the evening, but it’s so melodic and beautifully delivered that it works perfectly in context. And there are some gorgeous ballads, including “The Kraken’s Lullaby” and “The Moon and the Sea.”
Durand, a steadily employed presence on Broadway these days, delivers a moving turn even if he struggles a bit in the early sections while slathered in old-age make-up. But he loosens up as Benjamin gets younger and becomes extremely affecting as his character suffers a series of losses. But it’s Kimmel who delivers the standout performance, infusing Elowen with a blazing warmth and vibrancy that brings the love story to life.
Performed on an adaptable wooden set designed by book writer Compton (talk about versatility) depicting locales including a village pub and the deck of a ship and in which various ordinary items are transformed into such things as the moon and the stars, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button admittedly feels twee at times. But like the best fables, it has a lot to say about the human condition. And by the time it’s over, you’ll feel a little bit younger.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button opened October 21, 2026, at the Public Theater and runs through December 6. Tickets and information: publictheater.org
