Zrinka Cvitešić and Arthur Darvill in Once at the Phoenix Theatre, London. Picture: Brinkhoff Moêgenburg
Once the Musical continues at the Phoenix Theatre, London and is booking until 4 July 2015.
I just happened to catch the new cast of Once on the same night that the UK premiere of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels opened in the West End. The two productions are the antithesis of one another. The latter is characteristic of a conventional Broadway music, boasting relatively lavish sets, high-profile leading players and a handful of production numbers accompanied by a chorus line of pretty girls and boys. Once is a subtle and poetic drama, played out within one versatile, atmospheric set, where music and storytelling are everything. There is, of course, room for both styles in town, but if making an emotional connection with character and book is high on your wish list, the Phoenix Theatre is where you should be heading.
The reason for revisiting the production on this occasion was to see new cast members in action, not least Arthur Darvill who has taken over the role of Guy, having just finished playing the part on Broadway. However, any concerns that Darvill may not have been able to create the same kind of chemistry achieved by his predecessor Declan Bennett (now residing in the BBC’s Albert Square) with co-star Zrinka Cvitešić, who remains in the show as Girl, are blown out of the water in the very first scene.
And while this is yet another musical adaptation of a film (written/directed by John Carney in 2007), what is special about Once is that it has been truly reimagined and reinterpreted for the stage. Alongside Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová’s compelling score, which one yearns to listen to again, Enda Walsh’s book is poignant, melancholy, funny and always true to the spirit of the piece and its themes of love, loss and friendship.
In addition, there is Bob Crowley’s mirrored, Dublin pub set, beautifully lit by Natasha Katz, which ensures we are able to see and feel the drama from all perspectives; reminding us that life, and especially love, is messy and fragmented. Combine all these ingredients with John Tiffany’s inspired direction – making the movement and playing of the actor/musician ensemble an integral part of the storytelling – and you have something very special. Some of the best moments of the whole evening are when the strains of the accordion, mandolin, banjo and violin, to name but a few, subtly join in with Darvill’s guitar and Cvitešić’s piano.
Seated at the sides of the stage, the ensemble brings a seamless quality to the narrative, whether the performers are playing a role in the story or scene-setting with a collection of chairs and tables brought in from the wings. Even the tiniest of cameos make an impression, so credit to Fiona Bruce (Baruska), Jamie Cameron (Emcee), Matthew Ganley (Svec), Mathew Hamper (Andre), Daniel Healy (Eamon), Loren O’Dair (Reza), Miria Parvin (Ex-girlfriend), Tim Prottey-Jones (Billy), Jez Unwin (Bank Manager) and, in particular, Mark Carlisle’s understated Da.
Ultimately, though, it is the intensity of the connection between Girl and Guy – a love so heartfelt and yet unrequited – which is the driving force behind Once, and Cvitešić and Darvill play out this scenario with great care and tenderness. Luminous Cvitešić’s Girl is so quirky and positive at the beginning of the evening, that is heartbreaking to see her break down at the end of ‘The Hill’ as she battles between deep feelings for Guy and her family commitments.
Darvill is able to portray Guy’s new lease of life alongside his conflicted feelings of love. In numbers like ’Gold’, When Your Minds Made Up’ and ‘Say It To Me Now’, his vocal range and power are at their very best, as they are with his co-star in their memorable performance of the Oscar-winning song ‘Falling Slowly’.
From the pre-show hootenanny onstage, as members of the audience hang out in the onstage bar, to the final strains of ‘Falling Slowly’, Once proves itself a joyful and moving experience.
Lisa Martland
Readers may also be interested in:
Once the Musical secret gig showcases new cast – News
Check out our video clips from the secret gig on Musical Theatre Review’s YouTube channel
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