Usually when I revisit a show, I begin to find flaws. It happens every time. Nearly every show feels perfect the first time around, but when you watch it again, you’re paying more attention to the details, good and bad. The first time I watched Once the musical, I was putty in their Irish hands. There’s a quality about the show that just draws you in.
For those of you that don’t know, Once is based of the film of the same name, which is one of my favorite films. It tells the story of a 5-day relationship between an unnamed Guy and Girl, who set off to make a demo for the Guy’s ex-girlfriend. The musical evolves to a complex love story that will make your heart swoon. However, that description doesn’t do this story justice. A cast of characters, from a group of Czechs, to a music shop owner, to a bank manager with a dream create one of the strongest ensembles on Broadway. Every member of the cast, save for the one child actor in the show, play an instrument to create the orchestra.
The entire cast is truly wonderful. Every performer on stage has multiple jobs, and they all excel in them. The best part about seeing a musical for the second time is watching all the small details you missed the first time. The choreography is so simple, yet speaks a lot. Small moments like those in “Sleeping,” when the Czechs had these small movements to portray their support of each other, supplied so much emotion on stage. While large group numbers like “Gold” and “If You Want Me” were simply just magical to look at. The lighting also made a huge impression. Natasha Katz was able to transport us to different times and locations with a single lighting change, all that worked so well with Bob Crowley’s set.
However, what continues to make Once so magical, in addition to John Tiffany’s outstanding direction, is Enda Walsh’s book. The dialogue is so natural, sometimes hilarious, others emotional, but it all just serves the story so well.
The performance that I watched had standby Ben Hope in playing Guy. Now, before I go any further I have to explain the character of Guy. To be honest, I think its one of the most underrated roles on Broadway. While original performer Steve Kazee did bring home the Tony, and rightfully so, I think most people don’t really see the performance involved. First of all, they have to portray a character that changes a lot over the course of the musical. He starts as a bitter lovelorn musician and eventually finds a meaning in life as he goes along. On top of that, he has to play the “straight” character to The Girl’s quirky, and has to do most of the singing throughout. On top of all of this, the actor has to portray a lot of understated emotion, which is a chore in theatre.
Although he didn’t reach the heights of Kazee’s performance, vocally or acting…ly, he was able to hit all the points the are needed in the performance. There’s a scene about midway through the second act where the Guy and Girl are talking on a hill above Dublin. He tells her a story about his mother. It’s a monologue that has always stuck with me, but it’s a difficult one to dish out. Well, Hope did it with all of the emotional impact that it needed.
Jessie Fisher was also wonderful as the Girl. Such a complicated character, but she was just as charming and funny as OBC member Christin Millioti.
Overall, my revisit to Once was an eye opening one. I am going to say something that’s going to be very controversial, but completely valid. Once is the best musical on Broadway right now. It’s so beautifully contracted and written. Playwrights would kill to write dialogue that natural. The show is so well realized, and every aspect comes together to serenade the audience. It’s a near perfect musical.
Hey, I'm Karl, founder and film critic at Smash Cut. I started Smash Cut in 2014 to share my love of movies and give a perspective I haven't yet seen represented. I'm also an editor at The New York Times, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and a member of the Online Film Critics Society.
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