REVIEW: Once at The New Victoria Theatre, Woking

Once is nothing short of the most joyous celebration of music on any stage anywhere. Dublin culture roared off the stage of the New Victoria Theatre, Woking and left the audience humming, toe tapping and clapping along. 

“Based on the critically acclaimed and much-loved film, you will meet (and never forget) two lost souls - a Dublin street busker and a Czech musician - who find each other unexpectedly and fall in love. You will fall in love too, with this brilliant and beautiful musical, filled with love music from lush ballads to barnstorming reels. Once the Musical is a spell-binding and uplifting story of hopes and dreams.” 

The stagecraft of this show is magnificent; an ensemble band of fourteen who barely leave the stage, encasing our “guy” and “girl” throughout the piece. Tastefully small and intricate sets allow for the music to lead this piece. “Once the Musical” much like the original independent film which inspired it doesn’t need fanciful costumes, lighting and giant moving parts - the score is so beautifully composed, I suspect even against a white backdrop I’d have loved it all the same. This is not to discredit the wonderful set and costume designs of Libby Watson, but moreso to commend Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova which proves the real heart in this musical.

NEW TRAILER released for ONCE the musical, starring Ronan Keating

The multi award winning musical ONCE has released their very first trailer featuring new Guy – Ronan Keating. The new trailer follows a fantastic week for the Boyzone star, after receiving incredible reviews!

Ronan Keating and Jill Winternitz as Guy and Girl will lead the cast in Once The Musical at the Phoenix Theatre until 21 March 2015. 

ONCE announces closure in March next year in the West End and January on Broadway

Ronan Keating and Jill Winternitz as Guy and Girl will lead the cast in Once The Musical at the Phoenix Theatre until 21 March 2015 when the production will complete its West End run prior to a European tour.  Keating joins the internationally award-winning Once on 17 November, with press night on 25 November 2014.

The production will also play its final Broadway performance on Jan. 4, 2015. By the time of closing, the musical will have played 1,167 regular performances and 22 previews. 

FIRST LOOK: Ronan Keating stars in ONCE the Musical

Irish recording artist, singer-songwriter and musician Ronan Keating launched his career as a member of Boyzone in 1993 and has subsequently enjoyed a hugely successful career as a solo recording artist. With Boyzone Keating has sold over 25 million records worldwide and as a solo artist 20 million. Before joining the cast of Once, Keating has returned to Australia for a fourth year as a judge on The X-Factor.

The West End production of Once opened in April 2013 went on to win the 2014 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music.  In addition, Zrinka Cvitesic won the Best Actress in a Musical Olivier for her performance as Girl.  Once offers audiences a unique opportunity by serving theatregoers Irish drinks from the on-stage bar both before the performance and during the interval.  The Broadway production continues at the Bernard B Jacob’s Theatre.  Later this year an Australian production will open at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne while the US tour continues. The original cast recording of Once is available via Masterworks Broadway, a label of Sony Masterworks - www.MasterworksBroadway.com 

Jill Winternitz to continue the role of 'Girl' in ONCE opposite Ronan Keating

Today (29 August 2014), the producers of Once announce that Jill Winternitz will be continuing in the role of Girl opposite the previously announced Ronan Keating as Guy.  Keating will be joining the Olivier award-winning musical on 17 November 2014, with press night on Tuesday 25 November 2014.   Once is currently booking at the Phoenix Theatre to 4 July 2015.

Based on the much-loved Oscar-winning film, Once bursts onto the stage with a musical celebration of love, friendship and Irish music performed by cast of actor/musicians.  A chance encounter between a girl and guy from different worlds but with a shared love of music and songwriting sparks a deep connection and a tender, unexpected romance. 

RONAN KEATING to star as Guy in ONCE from November

On 17 November 2014 Ronan Keating will join the West End cast of Olivier award-winning musical Once, to play the leading role of Guy.

Ronan Keating said: "I was truly bowled over when I first saw Once. The music and storyline are so incredibly moving and combined with John Tiffany's direction, I believe it's a modern-day masterpiece. It's unlike anything else I've ever seen. When I was asked about playing the lead male (who is a busker in Dublin) I was completely overwhelmed because I knew it would be perfect - this was my home town, my people, and the place where I began my own music career. But as exciting as that is, it's scary too.

FIRST LOOK: David Hunter & Jill Winternitz join the cast of ONCE

David Hunter, who originally joined the show in July last year understudying the role of Guy, and Jill Winternitz will have their first performance together on Monday (12 May 2014). The show's current leads, Olivier Award-winner Zrinka Cvitešić and Arthur Darvill, have their last performance on Saturday (10 May).

Hunter's theatre credits include One Man Two Guvnors (National Theatre, UK tour and Adelphi Theatre), Seussical (Arts), The Who's Tommy (Prince Edward), The Hired Man (Leicester Curve), Spinach (The Royal Exchange, Manchester), Moving On (The Lowry, Manchester) and Love Shift (The Royal Exchange).

Winternitz is a graduate from RADA and made her West End debut starring as Baby in Dirty Dancing at the Piccadilly Theatre and also played the role on the UK tour of the show. 

David Hunter and Jill Winternitz to star in ONCE

Photo Credit: Darren Bell

David Hunter and Jill Winternitz are set to take over the leads in the West End production of Once.

Hunter, who originally joined the show in July last year understudying the role of Guy, and Winternitz will have their first performance together on Monday (12 May 2014). The show's current leads, Olivier Award-winner Zrinka Cvitešić and Arthur Darvill, have their last performance on Saturday (10 May).

Hunter's theatre credits include One Man Two Guvnors (National Theatre, UK tour and Adelphi Theatre), Seussical (Arts), The Who's Tommy (Prince Edward), The Hired Man (Leicester Curve), Spinach (The Royal Exchange, Manchester), Moving On (The Lowry, Manchester) and Love Shift (The Royal Exchange).

Olivier Awards: Full list of Nominations

BEST ACTOR

Nominees:

Henry Goodman for The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui at the Duchess Theatre 
Tom Hiddleston at Coriolanus at Donmar Warehouse
Rory Kinnear for Othello at the National Theatre, Olivier 
Jude Law for Henry V at the Noel Coward Theatre 

BEST ACTRESS

Nominees:

Hayley Atwell for The Pride at the Trafalgar Studios 

Anna Chancellor for Private Lives at the Gielgud Theatre 

Judi Dench for Peter and Alice at the Noel Coward Theatre

Lesley Manville for Ghosts at the Almeida Theatre & Trafalgar Studios 

Once the Musical: Theatre Review

Based on the film of the same name, Once the musical has transferred over from Broadway to London’s West End. The original production opened off-Broadway in December 2011, closing the following month and transferring to the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre in February 2012 on Broadway.  Winning multiple Tony Awards, it still remains to be a huge success over seas. Before opening at the Phoenix Theatre in the West End, Once made a stop in Dublin (where the show is set) proving majorly popular with audiences already  its future is certainly looking pretty good at the moment!  

The musical follows the story of how the lead male (named simply, Guy) is helped and inspired to take his music career further by Girl (Maybe the writer couldn’t think of names...). They get a band together and record some songs, fall in love but don’t do anything about it. Can’t believe how they spread that over two and a half hours? Neither can I.