Nearly a decade after its creation, stage adaptation The Curious Case is making its United States debut at the Public Theater in New York, running through December 20, following a celebrated run on London’s West End.
Jethro Compton was not yet 30 when he discovered F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1922 short story about a man who ages backward. Plucking the tale from the public domain after recognizing the title from David Fincher’s 2008 film adaptation starring Brad Pitt, the playwright saw undeniable theatrical potential in the premise. It was larger than life, and there was an impossibility to it and something inherently theatrical in that,
Compton said.
What started as a quiet tinkering project in 2017 eventually evolved into an Olivier Award-winning West End hit. Now, the production has crossed the Atlantic for its U.S. debut in an Off Broadway production at the Public Theater, where it is scheduled to run through Dec. 20.
Cornwall Folk Roots Shaped the Musical
Initially working on two separate ideas—the Benjamin Button adaptation and a folk musical set in a Cornish fishing village—Compton realized the stories belonged together. Believing the themes of the original American story were universal, he moved the setting to a coastal village at the end of the First World War.
After a false start with an intended composer, a colleague connected Compton with Darren Clark, whose previous work included the folk musical The Wicker Husband
. Following a long conversation over beers in the spring of 2018, the pair collaborated on a song titled The Gulls
. I was like, yeah, this is something for me,
Clark recalled.
Just before rehearsals began, the creative team traveled to Cornwall to gather authentic set materials like fishing nets and lobster pots. That coastal immersion transformed the musical’s entire sonic palette. Instead of relying on mechanical clock motifs, Clark set the musical framework to the rhythm of the tides, crafting a score that feels elemental and flowing.
West End Success Refined the Production
Commercial producers circled after early London runs, with some pushing to ditch the actor-musician conceit or scale up too abruptly. Partnering with ATG Productions instead allowed the creators to develop the work at their own pace. Pandemic lockdowns slowed progress, but the creators used the downtime to hold workshops, discard certain songs and roles, and let the show mature.
After a 2023 run at the Southwark Playhouse, the musical transferred to the West End, where it ran for a year and captured three Olivier Awards, including best new musical. Oskar Eustis, artistic director of the Public Theater, caught a performance while abroad. I was completely blindsided,
Eustis said. Normally I don’t go to West End musicals, scouting them.
Yes, there’s loss. But that’s also where all the joy comes from, in recognizing that it’s limited and in figuring out how to appreciate and fully embrace the time you have.
Oskar Eustis, artistic director of the Public Theater
Public Theater Welcomes New Cast
In the current New York run, the cast uses a roaming actor-musician chorus to narrate the narrative against a versatile wooden ship set designed by Compton.
Andrew Durand stars as Benjamin, tracing the character’s reverse aging from age 70 down to infancy through subtle shifts in voice, posture, and minimal costuming by Anna Kelsey.
Durand admitted that the emotional weight of the production brought him to tears nearly every day of rehearsal, describing the experience as therapeutic and cathartic.
Playing opposite Durand is Kelsee Kimmel as barmaid Elowen Keene, anchoring the romance that serves as the emotional anchor of the story. Alongside the performances, Zoe Spurr’s lighting design utilizes a soft nautical palette to ground the production in its Cornish setting.
While a separate production is scheduled to open in South Korea next year, Compton and Clark remain focused on the present run at the Public. We want to get the show right before we send it out around the world,
Compton noted.