THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON Heading to Broadway Next Season?- Page 2

[BroadwayNYC2]

Posted: 1/21/25 at 1:00am

“Because that's the coolest part of the movie - to me they just took the name of the movie to bring people in.”

I can assure you the “coolest” part of the movie wasn’t cgi.  If you depend on special effects to enjoy well…that’s on you. The Fitzgerald version is one of the most famous short stories of all time lol. 

[Skywalker3]

Posted: 1/21/25 at 5:14am

For me this was the highlight of my London trip last week. I cried through half the second act.
But it is very British, too British for American audiences.

For this to work on Broadway they need to move the setting to America. And start off-broadway first.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 1/21/25 at 9:14am

I don't think anything is too British for Broadway or too American for the UK. If a show has incredible buzz and WOM around it, as this one sure does, then a transatlantic transfer is all but justified.

[THDavis]

Posted: 1/21/25 at 12:29pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "I don't think anythingis too Britishfor Broadway or too American for the UK. If ashow has incredible buzz and WOM around it, asthis one sure does, then a transatlantic transfer is all but justified."

From a sensitivity perspective, sure. But Everybody’s Talking About Jamie surely would have had a Broadway run if this were true. Jamie was, in fact, a bit too British for a Broadway audience, but it had a nice LA run. There’s nothing wrong with saying a commercial Broadway audience won’t understand many of the references in the material enough to justify a Broadway production. 

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 1/29/25 at 3:32pm

I went to London last week and, even though this was the show I was probably the least excited for on my list of shows, it ended up being my favorite. So much so that I ended buying tickets to a second performance before my trip ended.

I thought it was beautifully told, the music was gorgeous, and the performances were excellent. It felt like there wasn’t a single line or moment in the show that didn’t play a bigger part in the story. I absolutely loved it and hope it comes to New York, if just to get to see it again.

To be honest, I find the comments that it (and most shows where I hear this critique – other than those that might rely on knowing the history of a certain/place thing in order to understand it) is “too British” to be baffling. If the story/show is good (and I believe this one is), I think audiences can connect with it, despite where it might take place, the musical roots of the score, etc.

Also, for anyone wondering, I heard one of the people selling merch say that they were recording the cast album soon.

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 1/29/25 at 5:58pm

I saw this yesterday and hated nearly every second of it. Personal aversion to it aside, this would tank on Broadway. Not every acclaimed musical needs to jump the pond.

[MasterThespian 2]

Posted: 1/29/25 at 8:42pm

Respectfully disagree. I think there are plenty of successful West End shows that aren’t a fit for good ol’ ‘murica. 
 

EDSOSLO858 said: "I don't think anythingis too Britishfor Broadway or too American for the UK. If ashow has incredible buzz and WOM around it, asthis one sure does, then a transatlantic transfer is all but justified."

 

[SteveSanders]

Posted: 4/30/25 at 4:07pm

Saw the show yesterday.  I know I am in the minority, but while the cast is terrific and operates like a well-oiled machine, I found the music/lyric and staging fairly one-note, repetitive, and uninspired.  This made the first act a bit of a slog.  While the second act packs more of an emotional punch, I still left feeling pretty underwhelmed.

 

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 4/30/25 at 8:31pm

SteveSanders said: "Saw the show yesterday. I know I am in the minority, but while the cast is terrific and operates like a well-oiled machine, I found the music/lyric and staging fairly one-note, repetitive, and uninspired. This made the first act a bit of a slog. While the second act packs more of an emotional punch, I still left feeling pretty underwhelmed."

I got to see this last week and really, really disliked it. It's just the type of show that doesn't do anything for me. From the moment the first actor directly addressed the audience to tell us what was happening, followed by 2.5 hours of direct address narration, I knew what I was in for. Cast members playing multiple characters, including other genders, by just putting on a hat or a jacket.  Moving a bunch of boxes around to sit or lay on. Actors playing their own instruments (including an overpowering trumpet) and singing lyrics that I couldn't understand. Annoyingly, they kept singing and talking about time, and continually describing everything that happened as "on the 23rd day of April at 14 minutes past 8" or "two years, four months and 7 days later". So overly "clever" and cloying, and nothing I hadn't seen done better many times before. Obviously, the Olivier Awards voters don't agree with me, but I've never wanted to leave a show so much after about 10 minutes.

Updated On: 5/1/25 at 08:31 PM

[spicemonkey]

Posted: 4/30/25 at 9:22pm

SteveSanders said: "Saw the show yesterday. I know I am in the minority, but while the cast is terrific and operates like a well-oiled machine, I found the music/lyric and staging fairly one-note, repetitive, and uninspired. This made the first act a bit of a slog. While the second act packs more of an emotional punch, I still left feeling pretty underwhelmed.

"

+1

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 4/30/25 at 10:07pm

Menken Fan said: "SteveSanders said: "Saw the show yesterday. I know I am in the minority, but while the cast is terrific and operates like a well-oiled machine, I found the music/lyric and staging fairly one-note, repetitive, and uninspired. This made the first act a bit of a slog. While the second act packs more of an emotional punch, I still left feeling pretty underwhelmed."

I got to see this last week and really, really disliked it. It's just the type of show that doesn't do anything for me. From the moment the first actor directly addressed the audience to tell us what was happening, followed by 2.5 hours of direct address narration, I knew what I was in for. Cast members playing multiple characters, including other genders, by just putting on a hat or a jacket. Moving a bunch of boxes around to sit or lay on. Actors playing their own instruments(including an overpowering trumpet) and singing lyrics that I couldn't understand. Annoyingly, they kept kept singing and talking about time, and continually describing everything that happened as "on the 23rd day of April at 14 minutes past 8" or "two years, four months and 7 days later". So overly "clever" and cloying, and nothing I hadn't seen done better many times before. Obviously, the Olivier Awards voters don't agree with me, but I've neverwanted to leave a show so much after about 10 minutes."

Gasp! Actors played across gender? In 2025?! HOW DARE THEY!!!!!

[Menken Fan]

Posted: 4/30/25 at 11:10pm

iluvtheatertrash said: "Gasp! Actors played across gender? In 2025?! HOW DARE THEY!!!!!"

My point is that there are plenty of male and female presenting actors in the show who could play the roles, and it just felt cutesy, somewhat confusing and unnecessary to have the gender switching. But I guess that’s pretty common in this style of show, as it was also in Mincemeat. 

[binau]

Posted: 5/1/25 at 2:37am

I kind of agree - the show has this tone of 'look at how artistic and clever we are - we are going to pull your heart strings because our show is so deep' but it kind of all feels a bit surface level and overly contrived. I still enjoyed it and if you had some spare time in London I'd suggest check it out but I don't see it coming to New York. I think the hype is an artefact of the West End not always having the best new musicals so everyone goes crazy when something semi-decent and new comes along (remember this is the same city that hyped 'Tammy Faye'! A show I also suggested was simply not as good as they are saying it is before it came and flopped). 

I think Swept Away did a better job at this kind of thing.