I came out of the theatre thinking about Oscar Wilde’s Dorian Gray remaining young and beautiful all his life whilst his portrait in the attic grows old and ugly, registering his decadent life.
F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a short story written in 1922, comes up with an equally fascinating conceit. Benjamin is born old and dies young. He lives his life in reverse.
The fable, which teaches us to make the most of the life we are given, has already been turned into a film with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. It has now been turned into a musical by Jethro Compton, who has not only written the book and lyrics but directed and designed it as well.
Compton has transported the action from 19th century America to a 20th century Cornish fishing village. Button is born 70-years-old in 1918 and dies a baby in 1988. His story is narrated by the villagers collectively and individually. The dialogue is sung and only occasionally spoken.
The music and lyrics are by Darren Clark. The music, ebbing and flowing, heartfelt and melodious, draws on folk songs and sea shanties, and is easy to listen to. The villagers are played by a boisterous ensemble of thirteen actors, who are also musicians.
The cast sing and act with gusto. John Dagleish is Benjamin. Clare Foster is the feisty woman he falls in love with when he is 50 and getting younger and she is 50 and getting older.
The production, choreographed by Chi-San Howard, keeps the actors on the move constantly and has them dancing and stamping their feet. They look as if they are in an old rustic weatherbeaten pub having a really good time. The staging bustles with energy.
The problem with the show is that the storyline is weak and overlong and needs cutting. There is also the problem of Benjamin getting younger and younger all the time and this has not been solved. Dalgleish gives a sensitive performance, but he remains middle-aged and is never childlike, either mentally or physically.
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