Tickets start at $29 for VocalEye users, while they last. Please call the Box Office to purchase at 604-687-1644. This performance will be followed by a Talk Back with the cast.
VocalEye’s new Ticket Access Program provides rebates for those in financial need. Theatre Buddies are also available to guide members to and from the theatre from the meet-up location. Please contact Donna for details: buddies [at] vocaleye [dot] ca
Running time is just over two hours, including one intermission.
Described by Ingrid Turk
Book by Enda Walsh
Music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová
A Dublin street musician is struggling through heartbreak and frustrated with his songs when he chances upon a girl who challenges him to go for his dream. With a company of actors who all play instruments onstage, this theatrically breathtaking musical is a captivating love song, a foot-stomping melody, and a bittersweet duet.
Once is not only an acclaimed musical but also a unique and intimate theatrical experience. It tells the story of a struggling Irish busker and a determined young Czech woman, who pursue their musical ambitions while navigating the complexities of love.
The multi-talented performers never leave the stage and play all their own music. With its heartfelt folk ballads and do-it-yourself aesthetic, Once combines the liveliness of a jam session with the nuanced emotions of a musical drama.
Adapted from an Academy Award-winning film, Once begins when Guy, an aspiring Dublin musician, decides to abandon his dream. He is plagued by self- doubt after a recent heartbreak. Girl, a Czech woman, watches Guy busking and takes an interest in his songs. She challenges his pessimism with her passion for music and her fierce determination. With Girl’s encouragement, they form a band, bringing together a rag-tag group of enthusiastic but amateur musicians. As they record their first album, they must navigate the group’s lack of experience, along with Guy and Girl’s growing feelings for each other. Though Guy and Girl are connected by music, they are divided by their complicated romantic situations. Ultimately, both must choose whether to salvage their existing relationships or embrace this new attraction.
Once is a different kind of musical, capturing the atmosphere of a recording studio, an open-mic night, and a busking performance. Its versatile cast invites us into an intimate love story, which embraces complexity. Beyond romance, Once explores the importance of pursuing our dreams and the power of music to draw people together. Packed with memorable folk songs, it is a truly unique experience.
REVIEWS
“one of the best shows to grace the Granville Island Stage in some time” –VancouverPresents
“Once tells a simple story, almost a fairy tale, through a combination of beautiful balladry, clever irony and sharp cultural consciousness. Despite its origin as a movie, Once feels to me like a love letter to musical theatre: live performers telling a moving story through music and song to a live audience sharing the room.” –The Vancouver Sun
SUPPORT MATERIALS
ONCE – Song List (Word doc)
https://youtu.be/EtQOHcTUckU
