I shared the sentiment, until I took a trip to see it in London after hearing from many reputable theatre reviewers and bloggers that it was an absolute must see. I was curious to see how they would stage the story, given the plot is around a character that ages backwards. Would this be a role that was split between actors? Would there be special make up / costume effects that disguised the same actor as the story progressed?
I won't spoil it for anybody that does want to take a trip down to see it, but what I will say is that it was done in a way that makes you marvel the sheer talent of people in the theatre business, because it was done so simply, you didn't even really notice the changes, however you still could see the evidence of the passage of time, albeit in reverse.
What was so wonderful about this musical was the western country style of music that flavoured the soundtrack. You also had the cast, chorus and ensemble all playing instruments, making up the orchestra as well as multiple characters that featured in Benjamin Button's life. This not only gave this piece of theatre a soul you rarely find in any other musical, but it gave a centre stage to the instruments and the people that play them in a way I think a lot of theatre shows are now implementing, but in a way that fit in with the setting and story they were all trying to tell.
It feels hard to pick out a favourite moment, but I loved the comradery and community spirit that lived in songs such as "When E're She Looked At Me", and the darkness and tragedy that seeped through every word in songs such as "The Kraken's Lullaby". I also felt really inspired and roused by the song "A Little Life", which I think was a teaching moment reminding us that no matter how short or long our lives are, it's important to pack them full of life and love.
The love story between Benjamin and Elowen was beautifully told as well, and their initial meeting was a wholesome and organic part of the story that I wished was more true of real life today. You just couldn't not root for them to be together and grow in the way that time permitted them to. I always think for a love story to work, whether it's a play or a musical theatre production, you have to have a degree of likability towards both of the characters, otherwise it is just so easy to lose interest in the story and not care what happens to one or both parties. Luckily, the characters were just instantly likeable from the word go, and this was helped in part by the talents of John Dagleish and Phillipa Hogg, a fantastic Benjamin and Elowen.
I don't know how long this musical will be around for, but I hope it continues to find a home even if / when it leaves the West End. The staging, sound effects, and lighting all helped create the real Cornish atmosphere it was trying to replicate, as this was where the story was set for this particular version of the tale. I think this made it even more relatable than had it been set in America, and therefore you could connect to the characters a lot more. There were heartbreaking and gut-wrenching moments, as there is in life in unfortunately, but there were far more comedic and light hearted moments, and by the end, despite the show being 2+ hours long, you came away feeling like you had genuinely seen someone's entire life flash before your eyes. How many shows can you say that about?
Overall, I went in without knowing a thing about this production and I came out with a new spring in my step, determined to enjoy life. If you enjoy shows where the ensemble is a main character in and of itself, where the music gets your toes tapping and your heart singing, and a love story that literally transcends the physical properties of time, this is 100 percent the musical for you.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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