The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a musical with book and lyrics by Jethro Compton, music and lyrics by Darren Clark, and based on the 1922 short story of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
The musical begins at the end of World War I in a small Cornish fishing village and follows Benjamin's life as he ages in reverse through the twentieth century. As in the original short story, Benjamin Button is born as an old man and ages backwards. The relationship between Benjamin and Elowen progresses as she ages and he grows younger.
Contents
Production history
Off-West End (2019, 2023)
The musical made its world premiere at the Southwark Playhouse on 15 May 2019 for a limited run until 8 June. The production was directed by Jethro Compton. The cast included James Marlowe in the titular role, alongside Matthew Burns, Rosalind Ford, Joey Hickman, and Philippa Hogg.
The production returned to the Southwark Playhouse, running from 22 May to 1 July 2023. The expanded cast included Matthew Burns, Jonathan Charles, Oonagh Cox, Anna Fordham, Philippa Hogg, Damien James, Ann Marcuson, Molly Osborne, Jamie Parker, Jack Quarton, Benedict Salter and Tonny Shim.
West End (2024-2025)
The musical transferred to the Ambassadors Theatre in the West End. Performances began from 10 October 2024. John Dagleish played Benjamin Button with Clare Foster as Elowen Keene, and the production features the majority of the 2023 Southwark Playhouse supporting cast with the addition of Katy Ellis, Elliot Mackenzie, Emily Panes, Nuwan Hugh Perera, and Matthew Romain. The production closed on 11 October 2025.
Off-Broadway (2026)
The musical is planned to make its debut in the United States in 2026 at The Public Theater in New York City. Performances start 8 October 2026, and run through 22 November 2026.
Seoul (2027)
A Korean-language production, featuring an all-Korean cast, is planned to open in Seoul in 2027.
Plot
Act One
At the end of World War I, on 17 December 1918 in a small Cornish fishing village, Roger Button attends his wife who has just given birth ("Rag Ty Yw Tre"/"The Western Wind"). As he arrives at the birthing home at 20:17, the midwife introduces him to his son, an old man speaking perfect English, who already knows his name to be 'Benjamin' and is wearing a three-piece suit with a bowler hat and carrying a walking stick. Shocked, Roger and his wife Mary take Benjamin home and hide him upstairs in the attic and refuse to tell anyone in the village about their 'child', expecting that at Benjamin's apparent age, he will die soon. Struggling to cope with the trauma and shame, Mary's mental health deteriorates and on the morning of 19 February 1919, barely two months after having given birth, she steps off the cliffs near Trevithick Point to her death ("The Kraken's Lullaby").
Over time, Benjamin remains in the Buttons' attic, banned by Roger from ever leaving out of fear his existence could be discovered by their neighbours. However, despite Roger's expectations, Benjamin does not die. Desperate to live a normal life, Benjamin dreams of freedom ("A Little Life"). For 10 years, Benjamin is confined to his attic and yet, he shows signs of ageing backwards and looks a decade younger. Eventually, Benjamin decides to escape and goes to the village pub to drink his very first pint of beer at the age of 59 ("The Pickled Crab"). He is served by a barmaid, Elowen Keene, daughter of the midwife who had helped deliver Benjamin at his birth, and falls instantly in love ("When E're She Looked At Me").
On 3 March 1933, nearly four years after being served his first beer, a chain of events is set in motion causing Benjamin to engage in a bar fight with the foul-mouthed Captain Carrick ("Matter Of Time I"). Looking after him, Elowen gets to know him better and is fascinated by his appearance, more youthful than the first time she'd seen him. Benjamin dismisses this as recovering from an illness to hide his reversing ageing. As they converse, they begin to fall in love under the light of the moon ("The Moon And The Sea"). When each of them tells their parents about their newfound love, their parents shun their romance. Disobeying their parents, they try to elope but fail to find each other. Persuaded into thinking the other has given up on their love by the other's parents, they go their separate ways ("Will You Go?").
On 3 April 1933 in Newlyn, Benjamin lies about experience as a sailor to get a job as a fisherman on 'The Salty Maid', captained by Jack Trenlee Sr and crewed by the captain's sons, Jago Trenlee and Jack Trenlee Jr, who is nicknamed 'Little Jack'. His unfamiliarity with the equipment becomes apparent as they sail ("Home").
Act Two
On 6 June 1944, Benjamin and Little Jack fight in the Battle of Normandy. Meanwhile, as a result of their night together, Elowen becomes pregnant with Benjamin's child ("The Western Wind (Reprise)"). Benjamin returns home to Elowen and his new son, Locryn. The family enjoys a quieter life after the end of World War II, welcoming a second child to the family - a daughter, Lowen. Benjamin's continued reverse-ageing means he has to surreptitiously apply grey hair dye and draw fake wrinkles on his skin to keep up his appearance of an older man ("The Tide is Comin' In"). Roger Button, now aged 78, unexpectedly turns up at Benjamin's house and, while congratulating Benjamin on his family, tells Benjamin that his disguise of ageing normally will eventually be found out.
On 31 January 1958, Benjamin walks Lowen home from school, taking a route through the harbour in order to buy more hair dye and makeup from the chemist. Unaware that a chain of events had already been set in motion prior to Benjamin and Lowen beginning that journey, Benjamin is distracted by an explosion in the harbour-side tea rooms run by the elderly Miss Maureen Moncrief, and does not notice Lowen slipping from the harbour wall down into the waves. Benjamin dives into the sea to save Lowen but she drowns ("Matter of Time II"). Devastated, Elowen and Benjamin mourn their daughter ("The Tide is Comin' In (Reprise)"). Elowen reveals she knows about Benjamin's concealment of his age and his lies. On 28 February 1958, Benjamin, unable to cope with his situation, leaves Elowen and travels the world to find a cure for his reverse-ageing ("Rollin' Away").
On 28 November 1963, Benjamin (aged 25) encounters Little Jack (now a ship's captain) in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Little Jack does not recognise him at first; Benjamin reveals his reverse-ageing to him and Jack, while somewhat recognising Benjamin, refuses to believe him and rejects him ("Rollin' Away (Reprise)"). Believing he has nowhere else to turn, Benjamin fills his pockets with stones and walks into the sea to end his life ("The Kraken's Lullaby (Reprise)"). As he exhales his last breath and begins to sink himself, he notices something floating above him. Over the past nineteen years, the message he had sealed in a bottle from Portsmouth, England back in 1944 had drifted around the world and floats above him at the precise moment he begins to drown ("A Glass Bottle"). Fighting against the tide, he swims up and reads "words written by an older, and wiser man" on the beach. He resolves to return to Cornwall to Elowen, vowing to repair his relationship with his wife and son, and to embrace the reality of his life rather than hiding it from the world ("Home (Reprise)").
Musical numbers
Notes on the songs:
† denotes a song included on the 2025 Cast Recording but not named in the programme.
‡ "Home (Reprise)" in Act One is alternatively titled "To Be Cast To The Sea" on the 2025 Cast Recording.
§ denotes a song not included on the 2025 Cast Recording.
± The finale is collectively titled "The Last Part of the Journey" on the 2025 Cast Recording.
Critical reception
The musical received five-star reviews from WhatsOnStage, Broadway World, The Reviews Hub and The Upcoming. Its 2023 revival received the 2024 Offie for "Best Musical Production".