I had never fallen so deeply into a story as when I watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button unfold before me. By the end, I was holding back openly bawling in the theatre, trying my best to pay attention through blurry eyes. The book the play was based on was intriguing and evocative, sad at times, even. It held the grain of a life-changing thought, a strong thesis that could twist one’s outlook on life into a new, prettier shape, but it didn’t act on it.
Damn, if the cast of Benjamin Button didn’t ACT. They communicated the story and expressed complex feelings with more than their bodies and voices: their instruments filled the space with a world of intensely evocative sound. I find that music can be a singularly powerful tool for opening my heart as an audience member, no matter the medium. To that point, the few museo-actor shows I’ve seen (The Band’s Visit and this one) have stayed the longest in my memory and had the greatest overall effect on me. It’s hard to pull off, but adapting the story of Benjamin Button into this format was a wonderful move.
Having the ensemble cast, The Strangers, playing instruments throughout the show makes their explanatory dialogue feel more connected to the world of the show. They aren’t just speaking or singing a story to us, but performing a tale of extraordinary circumstances. I think it would feel a bit impersonal if they simply sang the show. This is a strange take to make, but perhaps casting actors that can also play instruments selects for some particularly world-weary souls? Every museo-actor I have had the pleasure to speak with seems very, very well-traveled and experienced, no matter the age. This would give them some natural sources to work from in putting together their characters for the show.
Theatre in London U of A 