The 13-strong cast of actor-musicians playing 30 instruments perform “MIRACLES OF DEXTERITY ON STAGE” (The Times), bringing to life a heart-burstingly, magical tale of a love that defies all odds.

Under the light of a full moon, something most curious occurs… Benjamin Button is born old. Bound to the fate of growing younger each day, Benjamin wants nothing more than to live a little life. But will he ever find a place to belong?

There aren’t enough stars in the sky for this masterpiece of an album, so I’ll give it the Moon and the Sea as well.

In case you’ve somehow missed the buzz around this year’s Olivier Award winner for 'Best New Musical,' The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, here’s a quick breakdown of why everyone (yours truly included) is raving about this show.

Set in a Cornish fishing town, this adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story takes the concept of a man aging in reverse and spins it into something truly magical, brought to life by a cast of incredibly talented actor-musicians. After stealing hearts on the off-West End scene in 2024, the production transferred to the Ambassadors Theatre, where it’s booking until the end of August.

Only once in a blue moon do we witness such a perfect marriage of storytelling, music, and performance — and this show is just that. With a score composed by Darren Clark and lyrics and book by Jethro Compton, the brilliance of the production now lives on in its cast recording. (Though if you have the chance, I can’t recommend seeing it live enough.)

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ACT 1:

The album opens with haunting harmonies and a rich soundscape that immediately transports you to the Cornish coast. You can practically smell the salt in the breeze as Philippa Hogg’s narration invites you into the world we’ll inhabit for the next two hours.

The second track introduces a vivid cast of characters, each one adding depth and colour to the world of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

But it’s in the emotional weight of the music where the show truly shines. We’re taken through a heartbreaking anti-lullaby, a hopeful “I Want” song brimming with charm (John Dagleish, your Olivier was more than deserved), and a sequence of numbers that gently lead you into falling in love.

The blend of strings, percussion, and winds makes it impossible not to tap your foot — and now that you’re listening from the privacy of home, you don’t need to resist the urge to get up and dance to these irresistible melodies, recorded live from the stage of the Ambassadors.

Sea shanties, wartime ballads, and energetic numbers bursting with light, hope, and love build to the triumphant close of Act 1 with “Shipping Out Tomorrow,” a moment of such orchestral and emotional power it moved me to tears.

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ACT 2:

The thing about The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is that once it taps into your emotions, it only digs deeper. (Get your tissues ready — you’ll need them.)

“The Tide is Coming In” is a testament to the genius of Compton and Clark. Their writing weaves metaphor into the most vulnerable corners of Benjamin’s character, resulting in a piece of musical theatre that’s nothing short of transcendent. (Also — those closing harmonies? Sublime.)

If you’re not already covered in goosebumps, the next few tracks will take care of that, beginning with Oonagh Cox’s heart-wrenching reprise of “The Tide is Coming In".

Benjamin’s next chapter is marked by his search for answers and belonging, and the music mirrors this with an urgent, yearning quality that carries through the act.

The reprise of “Home” deserves to be studied for generations. From Jonathan Charles’ delicate flute opening, to the gentle sound of waves; every detail delights the senses. And then there’s John Dagleish, delivering each line with such aching honesty it feels as though you — the listener — are being granted a second chance at life, permission to make new choices and begin again. I wish I could bottle Benedict Salter’s cello in that moment of realisation.

Clare Foster’s “Time” is eternal. The performance, the orchestration, the writing — I don’t know if even Fitzgerald could have imagined something quite as exquisite as those five minutes of utter brilliance.

(How are we doing? Hydrate.)

Track 20 is the one we didn’t want, but absolutely needed. It lands like a punch to the gut — but in the most beautiful way. That’s all I’ll say. We knew how this journey would end, and the music takes our hand as we walk the final steps. In the style of “Matter of Time I and II,” The Last Part of the Journey adds the final brushstrokes to this masterpiece.

I’m no stranger to hyperbole, but believe me: there’s not a drop of exaggeration when I say that this piece of theatre — and this album by extension — will define a generation.

You can listen to the Benjamin Button cast recording digitally on all streaming platforms now.

Review by Luma

**photo credit: Juan Coolio**