Once is not a traditional love story
Under duress, Ms. Wrong can be Ms. Right. But perhaps she should have been Ms. Right all along? It’s a question some of us ask into our dotage about a lost love.
Under duress, Ms. Wrong can be Ms. Right. But perhaps she should have been Ms. Right all along? It’s a question some of us ask into our dotage about a lost love.
In Once, which opened at TheatreZone Thursday, all the circumstances point toward that future for its characters — perhaps.
We only know the protagonists as Guy and Girl. But their anonymity allows the risks they take in getting to know each other. One grabs abandoned music and drags its composer into a performance, the other moves in for a kiss at the not-now time. They’re blunt and they’re bruised from their past relationships, and it brings in an honesty that could portend a mating of souls. Or it could be a detour from their personal realities.
A unique history
Once is the rare musical with a Hollywood-to-Broadway trajectory: The John Carney story became known from its indie Irish film version, with its songwriter, Glen Hansard, in the role of the Guy and lyricist Markéta Irglová as the Girl. There was music in the film, as well; it scooped up a lot of award nominations and the 2007 Oscar for best original song. Broadway paid attention, and by 2011 Hansard and Irglová had supplied a dozen more songs for a musical that won eight Tony awards the next year.
Still, the musical makes few appearances on stages, possibly because its cast must be both the characters and the orchestra. Everyone plays at least one instrument — even the two stars — and there are a dozen characters on stage. (There’s one exception: Penelope Martone, who plays the Girl’s 6-year-old daughter.)
“Maybe,” said director Mark Danni of that theory, “But nobody knew about Chicago until [New York] City Center Encores pulled it out of their lost musicals and then they revived it. And now it’s been running for 25 years.”
He sees Once as an eye-opener for its audiences: “You sit there and listen to the music and you’re going to go, ‘Oh my God, this is so really beautiful.’
“I think it redefines what’s a relationship, what’s a friendship and what is love,” he said of the musical. “This is a love story. But it’s not a traditional love story.”
And what about the more melodic elements?
“The music is just refreshing. It’s rooted in Irish. There are several songs that are in 5 [5/4 tempo],” Danni said. “Then you have these people who are playing guitars and mandolins and a cello, two violinists. It’s just filling the place and people are singing harmonies at the same time.
“It’s very Brechtian,” he said. “You notice these chairs that are sitting on the side? These are the stations, because everyone who is sitting there is a character and at times they’re in the scene. But they’re always there, and they’re always playing.
“It took time in auditions,” he allowed. “You had to see if they could read. You had to see if they could do an Irish or a Czech accent, because she’s Czech, he’s Irish, and she has this whole extended family that’s Czech. Then you have to see what’s their proficiency on instruments.”
‘We want a role’
It was helpful to have actors clamoring for parts in it.
Eric Gutman, who said he fell in love with Once after seeing it on Broadway, sent tapes to Danni for both Once and Jersey Boys. He won the latter role but couldn’t take it because he was committed elsewhere.
“I told Mark, ‘Quite honestly, I really wanted to do Once for you, so if something happens and you need an actor, please let me know.’ And I thought that was it. But two weeks later he called me,” Gutman said, beaming.
He plays Svec, one of the Czech characters, and cycles through guitar, mandolin and drum work, all onstage. Gutman’s dream musical has been somewhat overwhelming, he conceded, because there’s so much to learn — the actors must play their instrumental parts from memory — and little time.
“But sometimes I can sit back and watch the other folks and fall in love with the music over and over again even when I’m feeling overwhelmed.”
Cody Craven, who is the main male character, Guy, has been in six productions of Once. He, too, was a fan of Hansard’s music.
“I saw the original Broadway cast, and I turned to my partner at the time and said, ‘If I ever have a chance to do this show I will do it for the rest of my life,’” Craven said, and chuckled. “Watch what you wish for, right? It is now the show I’ve done more than any other show.
“But I feel lucky every time,” he added. This particular production has been “incredible” for him, thanks to his costars. “We collectively agreed that this is the best — even the folks in the cast who have done the show before — that this is the finest cast we’ve worked with.”
“Everyone here is very talented and very prepared,” said Lexi Rae Smith, who is Girl, his costar, and is in her first production of Once. “It’s really inspiring to be around people who genuinely love what they do and love this show.”
Although “Falling Slowly” is the musical’s winning song, “Gold” resonates with both Danni and Craven. The latter is especially taken with an a cappella version the entire cast sings in the second act.
“To me this show is about community, and how music can heal community, [how] it can heal love. And this show embodies the love that is required to keep up a community.”
