Ian Lake and Trish Lindström
It remains one of my favourite productions and I’m so happy it has returned to Toronto. It’s a simple, beautiful love story told in a poetic way.
Hauntingly beautiful is the best way to describe the Mirvish production of Once. The story is sweet, loving, romantic and makes you wish all relationships could be so tightly bound together. It’s the music and the voices that swell over the audience and enchants them. Emotionally charged, rich with pain and yearning, there are moments where the songs force you to tear up and moments where holding the hand of your loved one makes everything feel right.
Once is the musical stage adaptation based on the 2007 Irish film of the same name. The movie received great reviews and won the 2007 Academy Award for Best Original Song, while the Once soundtrack received a Grammy Award nomination. Now the book written by Enda Walsh has been transformed into a musical, keeping many of the original songs written by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová and has received eleven 2012 Tony Award nominations, winning eight awards including Best Musical, Best Actor, and Best Book, and the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
Once centers around the chance encounter between Guy and Girl (their literally description in the program guide and show). In their five days together Girl inspires Guy to create a demo tape of his songs and go after his ex-girlfriend, whom he still loves, in New York. Despite Girl’s feelings for Guy, she maintains a strong façade of friendship, expressing her true feelings through music. You’ll remember the song “Falling Slowly” beautifully sung by Ian Lake and Trish Lindström most, as its melody lingers after you’ve left the theatre. But, each of the numbers holds their own in musical score, lyrics and choreography.
The cast moves in a fluid manner, interchanging between cast and orchestra. As the actors enter the center stage area they bring the scene elements with them (tables, chairs, etc). Upon leaving they simply sit down along chairs and stools lining stage left and right and once again become part of the orchestra. The stage itself is nothing more than a semi-circle bar scene leaving the actors totally exposed. The lighting kept at a low hue adds to the emotionally charged production. Unique to the setup was that the stage bar was used as a working bar both before the performance and during intermission allowing you to access the stage of the Ed Mirvish Theatre; an experience which could spark a post unto itself.
Joseph Campbell said “Love is friendship set to music”. Once is that incarnation.
Once plays at the Ed Mirvish Theatre for a an extended run until May 31, 2015. Tickets are available via www.mirvish.com
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