Jethro Compton and Darren Clark's musical adaptation of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button has found its West End cast ahead of its transfer to the Ambassadors Theatre.
Coming on the heels of the production's sold-out Southwark Playhouse run, which won Best Musical Theatre Production at the Off West End Awards, Button will begin performances October 10.
Directed by Compton, the musical utilizes an actor-musician ensemble to bring F. Scott Fitzgerald's iconic short story to life, transporting it from Baltimore, Maryland to the north coast of Cornwall. When an infant is born old, and ages backwards, time becomes all the more precious and he and those around him do their best to overcome the tides of time.
Olivier Award winner John Dagleish will star as Benjamin Button, opposite the newly announced Clare Foster, who will star as Elowen Keene.
An Olivier nominee for her performance in Travesties at the Menier Chocolate Factory and Apollo Theatre, Foster is a favored face on the West End scene, appearing as Beth Spencer in the original production of Maria Friedman's Tony winning hit production of Merrily We Roll Along, Crazy For You at the Novello Theatre, and more.
The company is completed by Katy Ellis, alongside Matthew Burns, Jonathan Charles, Oonagh Cox, Anna Fordham, Philippa Hogg, Damien James, Ann Marcuson, Jack Quarton, and Benedict Salter, who are all reprising their roles from the Southwark Playhouse run. Also joining the ensemble will be Elliot Mackenzie.
Said Compton in a previous statement, “This show has gone on the most incredible journey over the last seven years. What’s even more incredible, is the journey is only really just beginning. Button started life as a scrappy little show with a big heart, but the love it’s been shown by our audiences has allowed it to grow into something ready for the West End. We’re so unbelievably grateful for everyone’s support—and we can’t wait to continue this journey with you all.”
Button is directed by Jethro Compton, who also provided stage design, with co-music supervision, orchestration and arrangements by Mark Aspinall and Darren Clark, choreography by Chi-San Howard, costumes and associate stage design by Anna Kelsey, sound by Luke Swaffield, lighting by Zoe Spurr, musical direction by Mark Aspinall and casting by Ginny Schiller.
Visit BenjaminButtonMusical.com for more information.