Following its four Olivier nominations and critical acclaim, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at The Ambassadors Theatre has launched a new custom-built pub, ‘The Pickled Crab’. This unique space, based on the fictional drinking house on the North Cornish Coast, invites audience members to experience the world of the production in a distinctive theatrical setting in London’s West End.
The Pickled Crab is open six days a week, offering Cornish treats from pasties to ales, including Proper Job on draught. The pub is open to the public ahead of each performance and remains open until the end of the interval. On double-show days (Tuesday and Saturday), the bar continues to trade between shows.
Designed by the show’s creator, writer, and director Jethro Compton and constructed by Datum Production Solutions, the pub brings the world of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button to life. Compton said, “It’s so exciting that we’re the first theatre to build our own pub right in the heart of the West End. ‘The Pickled Crab’ is the drinking house in the show where Benjamin falls in love – to actually bring it to life was such a joy. It’s filled with all things Cornish and hundreds of little details that expand the world of the show out into the streets of London.”
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is nominated for four Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical, Outstanding Musical Contribution for Darren Clark for Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements, and Mark Aspinall for Musical Direction, Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements, Best Actor in a Musical for John Dagleish, and Best Actress in a Musical for Clare Foster. These nominations make it the most nominated new British musical at the 2025 Olivier Awards.
The musical stars previous Olivier Award winner and current nominee John Dagleish as Benjamin Button, and two-time Olivier Award nominee Clare Foster as Elowen Keene. They are joined by Matthew Burns, Jonathan Charles, Oonagh Cox, Katy Ellis, Anna Fordham, Philippa Hogg, Damien James, Elliot Mackenzie, Ann Marcuson, Emily Panes, Jack Quarton, and Benedict Salter.
An electrifying journey through a timeless tale of love that defies all odds, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an enchantingly beautiful and truly unordinary musical that reminds us to make every second count. The production first captured hearts in 2019, followed by a sold-out Southwark Playhouse run in 2023, winning Best Musical Theatre Production at the 2024 Off West End Awards. It was recently nominated for two WhatsOnStage Awards – Best New Musical and Best Musical Direction/Supervision.
With a breathtaking soundtrack brought to life by an extraordinary actor-musician ensemble, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic short story is relocated to a fishing village on the north coast of Cornwall by writing team Jethro Compton and Darren Clark.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is based on the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, with Book & Lyrics by Jethro Compton and Music & Lyrics by Darren Clark. It is directed by Jethro Compton, who also designs the stage, 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.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
