Our last evening in London was spent – where else? – at the theater, or “theatre”, as the Brits would spell it. The Ambassador Theatre to be precise, and my friend Marystephanie and I were going to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a new British musical. You may remember this story was also made into a film starring Brad Pitt in 2008. The musical reimagines the F. Scott Fitzgerald story of the man who is born old and grows younger every day.  This musical version sets the story in a Cornish fishing village and features a cast of 14 actors/musicians who play 30 different instruments during the course of the show.

It was a transcendent experience.  A lovely show about love and life and the human need to belong. And the talent on that stage is a marvel!

We were told about this musical by our seatmate when we were at Much Ado, and she highly recommended it. She had been told by a friend how wonderful it was and had gone, loved it, and passed along the good word.  Good old word-of-mouth!

The smaller Ambassador Theatre venue was packed, and we were happy to have gotten seats in the balcony.  Our view was perfect, as was the show.  We have since discovered that it won three Olivier Awards, the equivalent of the Tonys. It was awarded the prize for Best Musical, Outstanding Musical Contribution, and Best Actor for John Dagleish who plays Benjamin.

What I love about all the musicals we saw in London was the on-your-feet, clap-along curtain calls that gave the audience to share the joyousness of the show.  It was positively uplifting and therapeutic. All four musicals we saw—Oliver!, SIX, Much Ado, and Benjamin Button had extra-long curtain calls that featured several numbers and a chance for the audiences to join in and show their appreciation for the performance.  It was absolutely delightful.

I don’t know if any of these shows are headed to New York’s Broadway (with the exception of SIX, which is currently there), but I highly recommend the other three if they cross the pond. 

Our theater and historic house-packed vacation was ending, but we were feeling a sense of a mission accomplished.  We had made a plan and added to and subtracted from it as it unfolded, leaving us both with a ton of great memories and loads of stories to share.  We had done it all, from Highclere to Bletchley, from Much Ado to Benjamin Button, from high tea to a Punjabi wedding, and all in the space of six action-packed days.  I think we both realized that it had been a très bon voyage and we began making plans for our next foray into the wilds of London and perhaps Paris.  There is still so much more to see and experience!