Once

Cast of 'Once'

On Tuesday I went to see a preview of 'Once' at the Phoenix Theatre. Preview tickets are £20 cheaper than seats when it officially opens and they performed in Dublin before here, so we decided to go now as they have still done the show many times already.

The first thing that struck me was going into the theatre and having all the ensemble on stage playing songs. It really made the atmosphere incredible and put a smile on everyone's faces! You could go up on stage and watch and they were selling drinks like in an actual pub.

The musical was absolutely incredible; all the people on stage played an instrument and made all the music themselves. What talented people they were! I already knew most of the music from the movie and the Broadway production, but they left out a few songs from the movie that I really liked which was unfortunate.

I particularly liked the set design as the mirrors added another layer to the show. It was also useful when the piano was turned away from the audience, but you could still see the Girl playing the keys through the reflection of the mirror.

However, the two leads were incredible-both their acting and their musicianship. The storyline was a mixture of comedic and serious moments and the two blended exceptionally with each other. The only minor detail I would say was a negative was that towards the end - in the second act - there were too many consecutive moments where the plot was moving a bit too slowly. However, that was only me being pedantic and overall I thought this production was fantastic.

I had been waiting to see it since it opened on Broadway, so I'm glad that it exceeded my expectations!

Georgia Goody-Miceli

4.5*