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. 
 

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 6/19/25 at 8:31am

The West End production will play its final performance on October 11, so it can come to Broadway next spring with its full cast intact. 

Apparently it has its house now as well. 

Updated On: 6/19/25 at 08:31 AM

[binau]

Posted: 6/19/25 at 9:06am

Surely it's a bit of a PR spin to suggest that the show is closing so that it can come to Broadway.....the show is closing in my opinion because ticket sales are weak - if sales were better it would continue with a different cast (like Operation Mincemeat). This is the Olivier Award winning best musical after all. I believe the Olivier Award Best Actor winner (i.e. the star) has also been injured so the show works just fine without the original cast. 

 

 

[DaveyG]

Posted: 6/19/25 at 10:13am

I hope this makes it to Broadway this season. The list of new musicals as of now is pretty dire. Benjamin Button would be a welcome addition. 

[Marlothom]

Posted: 6/19/25 at 10:43am

This was one of the best musicals I have ever seen, but I worry it won't find an audience in NYC.  It's too intimate and very UK-specific.  I wish it would find a nice off-broadway house.  

[KevinKlawitter]

Posted: 6/19/25 at 11:33am

Marlothom said: "This was one of the best musicals I have ever seen, but I worry it won't find an audience in NYC. It's too intimate and very UK-specific. I wish it would find a nice off-broadway house."

People said the same thing about Operation Mincemeat...

[JoeW4]

Posted: 6/19/25 at 12:40pm

^And I would say Operation Mincemeat is quite a bit more UK-specific than Benjamin Button. I'd say Benjamin Button's themes have pretty universal appeal, and the style only feels British in the sense that the music seems to be drawn from nautical English folk (? maybe? I don't know if that's the correct description -- but that's also kind of my point: it doesn't feel specific to the point of being alienating) 

[Marlothom]

Posted: 6/19/25 at 12:43pm

I hope you are right - I would LOVE for this to succeed.  I do think that tourists might think they're going to watch the Brad Pitt movie musical.  haha. 

[DeNada]

Posted: 6/19/25 at 1:04pm

The only thing really specifically British about it is/are the accents and some of the quaintness of the small town characters (who only really appear as "characters" in two songs and probably aren't even that big of a deal).  You could probably just do it without the accents if you were worried about people penetrating the Cornish/West Country voices.

I saw this on Tuesday night.  It was fine, and moving in that it's a show where some people die so unless it's Gatsby comically flopping onto a crash mat that's always going to be effective, but it's not a story for the ages.  The folk harmonies are absolutely gorgeous, and the talent of the performers is undeniable, but the sound design ruined the ensemble numbers by smudging out all of the lyrics (there's a recurring song which comically tells of an odd chain of events that was nigh on impossible to follow).

I didn't mind the moving-boxes-and-cute-dialogue aspect that has bugged others but it is very present; it's a very "Fringe show made good" vibe. 

I'm glad Mincemeat seems to be doing okay State-side but I cannot predict how this would sell.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 6/19/25 at 1:15pm

KevinKlawitter said: "Marlothom said: "This was one of the best musicals I have ever seen, but I worry it won't find an audience in NYC. It's too intimate and very UK-specific. I wish it would find a nice off-broadway house."

People said the same thing aboutOperation Mincemeat..."

 

I wonder how the title will help or hurt this show? I happen to like the movie version of BUTTON (which I know the musical is not an adaptation of, they just share source material) but some people find it a treacly mess. Anecdotally, when I've said "I hear Benjamin Button is amazing on London" I'm met with shocked faces.

I'm very excited to see it once it opens on Broadway.

Updated On: 6/19/25 at 01:15 PM

[TalksAboutBruno]

Posted: 6/19/25 at 2:06pm

DeNada said: "The only thing really specifically British about it is/are the accents and some of the quaintness of the small town characters (who only really appear as "characters" in two songs and probably aren't even that big of a deal). You could probably just do it without the accents if you were worried about people penetrating the Cornish/West Country voices.

I saw this on Tuesday night. It was fine, and moving in that it's a show where some people die so unless it's Gatsby comically flopping onto a crash mat that's always going to be effective, but it's not a story for the ages. The folk harmonies are absolutely gorgeous, and the talent of the performers is undeniable, but the sound design ruined the ensemble numbers by smudging out all of the lyrics (there's a recurring song which comically tells of an odd chain of events that wasnigh onimpossible to follow).

I didn't mind the moving-boxes-and-cute-dialogue aspect that has bugged others but it is very present; it's a very "Fringe show made good" vibe.

I'm glad Mincemeat seems to be doing okay State-side but I cannot predict how this would sell."

Agreed! Saw this a few months ago and was completely lost during that recurring ensemble number. Not sure if this has the legs to be more successful than other similarly staged shows. I found Once and Come From Away to check much more boxes.

 

Happy that the two leads will transfer though. Nothing but praise for them.

[Jmuep2]

Posted: 6/19/25 at 3:21pm

I agree that this is a superior musical to Mincemeat and is far more universal. It's also a really beautiful love story that should get word of mouth talking. 

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 6/19/25 at 9:29pm

My personal dislike for it aside, I truly don’t see how this makes it to Broadway with its West End production already closed. It’s not a show like Prima Facie or Dorian Gray that lives and dies on its central performance; John Dagleish may have won the Olivier, but he has called out quite a bit (can’t imagine how this board would receive the consistent cast shuffling of the West End crew). It has some buzz as a crowd-pleasing ensemble show, but it has nothing on Operation Mincemeat and I think we all know the well is shallow on that one post-OLC/BC.