Theater Review - Once

Once

Book by Enda Walsh

Music by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová

Directed by John Tiffany

Where: Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, New York, NY

When: Thursday, June 5, 7:00pm

I've already written a review of the Broadway production of Once (feel free to read it as a refresher) which I saw over two years ago prior to its Tony-winning success so I'm not going to go into great detail here.  However, I will say that the production now with two new leads -- Paul Alexander Nolan as the unnamed Guy and Joanna Christie as the unnamed Girl -- is just as touching as it was when I first saw it.  Granted, Nolan and Christie bring a slightly different vibe to the proceedings than the Tony-nominated Cristin Milioti and Tony-winning Steve Kazee, but they still bring the film's characters to vivid life.  While it didn't quite have the same impact on me as it did the first time around, Once is still one of the best theatrical experiences I've ever been lucky enough to witness.  Rumor has it that the production is winding down (the mezzanine was less than half full the night I saw it), so get yourself to New York and see this ASAP particularly if you're a fan of the fantastic Glen Hansard-Markéta Irglová Oscar-winning film.

Joanna Christie and Paul Alexander Nolan

A few notes from this viewing (really just for my remembrance purposes):

• The choreography is riveting in its simplicity.  I made mention of this in my original review, but it bears repeating here.  Listed as "Movement" in the playbill, we're not bearing witness to "dancing," but rather emotional reactions to the music that's being sung.  There's a gorgeous moment during the song "Say It to Me Now" in which a quartet of bank clerks describe with grace and sadness the travails of everyday life -- it really got to me this time around.
• The fact that the cast doesn't leave the stage for nearly the entire show and plays all of the music you're hearing is worthy of a standing ovation (although, admittedly, I did not give one to the production this time around...I probably should have, but it just wasn't quite as good as the first time around).  A talented group of people.
• This seemed more humorous this time around.  Cristin Milioti's portrayal of Girl seemed a bit more steeped in melancholy whereas Joanna Christie in this production gave Girl a little more joy.  There's nothing wrong with that and the romance between Guy and Girl is still gut-wrenchingly gorgeous, but it's different.  Similarly, Steve Kazee's Guy felt angrier whereas Paul Alexander Nolan didn't quite have that pent-up pain.  Once again, nothing wrong with this -- just a slightly different interpretation.  I prefer the original performances, but both Christie and Nolan are riveting and completely carry the story without any hardships when it comes to vocals, musicality, or acting.
• The first track on the cd is a fast-paced instrumental overture of the movie's most famous track -- the Oscar-winning "Falling Slowly."  When this instrumental overture wasn't played at the beginning of the play, I got incredibly depressed thinking they'd left out one of my favorite little bits of music.  Little did I know that despite being the opening track on the cd, it comes about two songs into the play.  Needless to say, I was a happy camper when the rousing instrumental piece came up.

Movie Review - The Swell Season

The Swell Season (2011)

Starring Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová

Directed by Nick August-Perna, Chris Dapkins, and Carlo Mirabella-Davis

I'm a huge fan of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová's musical group The Swell Season and I'm an even bigger fan of their Oscar-winning movie (and Tony-winning Broadway musical) Once.  Because of my fandom, I longed for this documentary chronicling their now-defunct real-life romance to be charming and heartbreaking.  Instead, I found The Swell Season to be one of the most tedious pieces of cinema I've sat through this year...and it hurts me terribly to admit that to myself.

While it wasn't exactly the whirlwind romance I thought it was -- Hansard actually knew Irglová for quite a bit prior to them filming Once although this tidbit of information (and the creation of Once itself) isn't explored in the slightest -- the two found always found themselves spiritually connected to each other through their music.  As Irglová got older and the two spent more time together, the musical connection became a more romantic one, really coming to its peak around the time immediately after their Oscar win.  Hansard, who had toiled for years while touring with his band The Frames, was finding his newfound success a joy, but Irglová struggled greatly being thrust into the spotlight.  Eventually, the tables almost turn with Hansard questioning whether success is all it's cracked up to be, and the two find themselves more at odds with one another rather than really feeling a romantic connection.

The problem is the whole thing is just boring and lacks anything the least bit revelatory.  That paragraph I wrote above just about put me to sleep writing it and this movie tested my patience quite a bit.  There's some nice music, but having seen the duo live, all it did was make me long for them to tour the Philly area again.  A concert wasn't what I was looking for in this film (even though it does showcase Hansard's brilliant soulful grit).  I wanted insight into their relationship and I didn't really get it.  In the end, maybe that's the point, though.  The two struggled with a public image that was thrust upon them when their little indie film found unexpected success and the guarded nature of this project may be fitting.  There are certainly some beautiful moments (mostly coming from sit-down interviews with Hansard's mother and father which are quite touching), but overall, The Swell Season was a big letdown never really building to anything worthy of actually being filmed.

The RyMickey Rating:  D

Theater Review - Once

Once

Book by Enda Walsh

Music by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová

Directed by John Tiffany

Where: Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, New York, NY

When: Wednesday, March 28, 2pm

Stunningly beautiful with an aesthetic simplicity that allows its music and story to come to the forefront, the new Broadway musical Once is a wonderful piece of theater that is an absolute must-see for anyone who is a fan of the Academy Award-winning film.  With music culled (for the most part) from the movie originally written by the film's stars Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (who make up the folk rock duo The Swell Season), I admittedly was a bit hesitant going into seeing this.  I love the movie (it's in my Personal Canon), but I was extremely worried that these songs were too emotionally connected for me with Hansard's grittiness and Irglova's fragility (both of whom I've seen give an amazing live concert).  Fortunately, from the opening moments of Broadway's Once, my fears were quickly allayed and there were truly moments of chill-inducing magic playing out before my very eyes.  

The story of Once (both movie and Broadway show) is so basic it's a wonder that someone thought there'd be some form of entertainment in its straightforwardness.  There's an Irish Guy (who remains nameless throughout the production).  He's a guitar player who, when he's not working at his dad's vacuum cleaner repair shop, finds himself writing music that lately reflects a bad break-up with a girl to whom he still holds some feelings.  Then there's a Czech Girl (who also remains nameless) who hears the Guy's music and immediately feels a spiritual connection to him through his lyrics...problem is, she has a young daughter and other entanglements that prevent her from committing herself to any type of relationship with the Guy.  Over the course of a week, the two mutually better each others' lives, but find it increasingly more difficult to be near each other as they continue to be forced to suppress their true feelings.

The Broadway production follows a very similar storyline to the film, but I must admit that if one hadn't seen the film before, it's entirely possible that the simplicity of the scene changes may lead to confusion.  The stage never changes -- as we walk into the Bernard B. Jacobs theater, the stage is set up as an Irish pub from which theatergoers can actually purchase liquor and mingle with the play's cast of characters prior to the show as the ensemble treats us to a nearly twenty-minute "preshow" of sorts (so get there early).  However, since the stage never changes, we in the audience (with the assistance of Natasha Katz's sometimes beautiful lighting) are asked to imagine the scenes in the film that take place, for example, in the music shop where Guy and Girl sing the signature "Falling Slowly" or in the recording studio where Guy takes his shot at fame.  To me, having seen the movie multiple times, I knew where the piece was going and what I was supposed to be imagining.  To someone completely unfamiliar with the work, I can understand a bit of confusion.  This, along with the fact that there were a few scenes of dialog that brought the production to a slight lull at times, are my only qualms...and they're minor qualms at that.

Everything else in this show was worthy of accolades.  Steve Kazee and Cristin Milioti have a tough act to follow.  To me, the footsteps of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová are big ones to fill and Kazee and Milioti do so admirably.  Kazee has Hansard's grit (incredibly evident in his fantastic take on "Say It to Me Now"), but he also brings a bit of a slightly smoother Broadway sound (shown in "Gold," a throwaway song for me in the film that's given prime billing [and a stirring a cappella reprise] in the stage show to great effect).  While different from Hansard, it's to Kazee's credit that I was able to completely forget about how great a singer Hansard is while watching Kazee.  

Admittedly, Milioti has things a little easier as Irglová isn't exactly the best vocalist in town, but what Irglová lacks in power, she more than makes up with in emotion.  However (and this is really where Enda Walsh's book comes into play and shines, perhaps even "bests" the movie in this regard), Milioti is given much more humor in Girl on stage than we ever see in the film version.  Milioti is precociously endearing right from her first lines and the audience swoons for her just as the Guy does.  Girl is soft-spoken, yet incredibly sincere and honest...all of which are accurate descriptors of the musical itself as well -- it's a small-scale, quiet piece about the highs and lows of love brought to us by two wonderful actors in Kazee and Milioti whose chemistry is undeniable.

I've yet to mention that the music in Once is played not by an orchestra in a pit, but by the talented acting ensemble (including Kazee on guitar and Milioti on piano) who hardly ever leave the stage.  Acting, playing an instrument, and dancing all at once at times (in some of the most uniquely "choreographed" numbers I've ever seen on stage crafted by Steve Hoggett whose "title" in the Playbill lists him doing the play's "Movement") is no small feat and the show has talent running throughout the entire ensemble.  [And let me tell you, there's something beautiful in hearing live string instruments take on these powerful songs...kudos to Orchestrator Martin Lowe.]

I'm not a big "standing ovation" guy at theater productions.  I'll certainly applaud whether I like something or not simply to show my appreciation for the hard work of the cast and crew (more vigorously if I really liked something than if I didn't).  But when Once ended, I stood up right away because this is a show that earned that respect.  I'm sure that my love for Broadway's Once stems from the fact that I adore the film.  If you've seen the film and hated it, this musical probably won't do a thing for you.  To me, however, this tale of love, loneliness, and friendship is a winner that is eloquently brought to the stage by director John Tiffany and the talented cast and crew he assembled that make Once something I'll probably be seeing more times than its title.  

The Personal Canon - Once

The Personal Canon is a recurring column highlighting my favorite films of all time.  While they may not necessarily be "A" rated, they are the movies that, for some reason or another, hold a special place in my filmgoing experience.

Once (2007)

Starring Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová

Directed by John Carney

I don't know if it's because I've played the piano for nearly 25 years, but for some reason or another, music in movies can make a major impact on me.  Whether it be a soundtrack culled from other sources (see my previous Personal Canon post on Sleepless in Seattle) or created specifically for the film as in this latest entry into the Canon, Once, I have an affinity for scores and/or songs in cinema.  If you were to ask me, "Are you more of a movie or music buff," my answer unequivocally would be film, but putting these two mediums together is oftentimes fascinating to me.  Certainly, this mixing of the two is one of the major reasons why I love the movie Once.  It certainly helps that the film has a good (though incredibly simple) story and two fantastic lead actors, but it is the melding of cinema and music that makes this film stand out to me.

There are two scenes in Once where the lead actor (Glen Hansard) watches the lead actress (Markéta Irglová) play the piano.  [It should be noted that neither lead has a name in the film, so for the purposes of this review, they'll be Guy and Girl].  We see everything in Guy's eyes.  He loves Girl.  Even though they've met only hours before (in the first instance) or days before (in the second instance), when Girl sits at the piano, it's her true self and it fascinates and intrigues him.  Admittedly, I never noticed this before, but in this, my fifth or sixth time watching the film, these two scenes were stunning in their simplicity.  No words are spoken, but the audience knows every single thing that's going on in Guy's eyes.

That's certainly a tribute to Glen Hansard, lead singer for the Irish group The Frames and co-lead of his duo with Ms. Irglová, The Swell Season.  The film totally goes for a naturalistic, day-in-the-life style of filming and Hansard (in what is essentially his first and only acting role) is nothing short of electric.  Then he starts to sing and he gets even more into his element and it really becomes a beauty of a performance.

Marketá Irglová (also a non-actor in her first film role), a mere seventeen years old when the film was shot, is infinitely wiser beyond her years (and not playing seventeen in the film...it should be noted that the discovery that she was seventeen kind of freaked me out because I would never have guessed that she was so young).  When she first meets Guy as he performs his music busker-style on the streets of Ireland, you can see that she's kind of crushing on him.  But she plays hard to get quite convincingly.  The pair find a mutual respect and love for one another through music, but both are being pulled away from each other romantically by separate forces -- Guy by his ex whom he maybe still loves who is now living in London and Girl by her estranged husband with whom she has a young daughter.  The pair tries to tell themselves that these other forces from the past are more important than the obvious tangible feelings in the present, but it's obvious to them (and to us) that they're simply too afraid to admit their true feelings to one another.  (It should be noted that the chemistry between these two is palpable.)

And then there's the wonderful music which takes up over half of the film's 86-minute running time.  I saw Hansard and Irglová in concert with The Frames about two years after they won the much deserved Oscar for Best Song for this film and they were fantastic.  Out of context, the songs from the movie still work amazingly well.  However, in context, they're even more beautiful.  Once isn't a "musical," per se, with people breaking out into song to express their feelings.  Instead, the two leads are musicians and the music simply comes naturally to them.  There is never a sense that any song feels forced into the film simply to pad the running time...they're all there for a reason and, goshdarnit, I love them.

And it's that melding of music and movie that make Once an unmitigated success to me.  It's an incredibly simple film with gorgeous music, great performances from non-actors, and nice documentary-esque, natural direction from musician-turned-director John Carney.  Much like a viewing of Psycho has become my Halloween tradition, a viewing of Once has now become this non-Irish guy's way of celebrating St. Paddy's Day.

The RyMickey Rating:  A

What I'm Listening To - The Swell Season

I went to see Paul McCartney earlier this year and it was pretty awesome to see a legend. That being said, the sound quality in a stadium setting was good, but loud and overbearing.

Last Sunday, I went to see my current favorite group, The Swell Season, and was absolutely amazed at the sound quality at the Merriam Theater in Philadelphia. The stellar acoustics along with lead singer Glen Hansard's spot-on vocals provided one amazing night of music.

Seriously, nearly every song produced chills for me. From the older stuff from the movie Once to the new songs from the just released album "Strict Joy", the set list was a treat. Even the Willie Nelson and Van Morrison covers were great (especially the latter...man, Glen on the guitar during the Van Morrison cover...wow...didn't know people could strum that fast...).

If there's one fault that could be mentioned about the whole evening, it would be that I wish Markéta Irglová would have talked a little more...or at least acted a little more excited to have been there...I get that she's a shy gal, but you could've mustered a little enthusiasm. That being said, Glen more than made up for her. Speaking with the audience regaling us with some nifty anecdotes, having us sing along during three numbers (which was really kind of haunting and lovely)...man, I had a great time and will be right there when they make a return trip to the area.

Let me just add that the lighting was also a treat. There were simple wave-like boards at the back of the stage that changed colors (red=angry, white =happy, etc) throughout...I realize that's petty, but it enhanced the atmosphere for sure.

Seriously, this show made me love this duo (who were backed by Glen's band The Frames) even more. I just can't get over Glen's vocals live. Just amazing.

The set list is below (thanks to my brother for making it while watching the show) and I've included a few youtube videos of some of my favorite songs along with some random musings (once again, I realize this is a little self-serving and won't appeal to my "multitude" of readers, but I'm keeping track of this for my sake).

1. Fallen From the Sky - Glen with his guitar and Marketa with a tiny Casio keyboard alone kneeling onstage.
2. Lies
3. Feeling the Pull - Harmonica!

4. Low Rising - With this song, the rest of Glen's band, The Frames came onstage. Video of this great song is below.

5. Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain (Willie Nelson Cover)
6. The Rain
7. The Moon - Glen was talking to me when he discussed the meaning of this song (obviously, not really, but my fellow concert-goers got a good laugh as Glen spoke...I never thought a discussion about vampires would relate to me, but it somehow did).
8. If You Want Me - Markéta's chance to shine.
9. Fantasy Man
10. Leave - And just like the song title, everyone leaves Glen alone onstage as he tackles four songs alone.
11. Say It To Me Now
12. Back Broke - Glen invites the audience to sing along...beautiful...
13. Astral Weeks (Van Morrison Cover) - Just amazing guitar work here by Glen

14. Irish "Love Song" Violin solo - Really only here so Glen can rest his voice
15. I Have Loved You Wrong - A beautiful song from Markéta...I love it...my fellow concertgoers, not so much...as evidenced by the 25 year-old "grandma" falling asleep next to me...

16. When Your Mind's Made Up

Encore
17. Falling Slowly - Their Oscar-winning number...Loved it...
18. Some new song not on the new album
19. High Horses -- Audience sing-along again!
20. Song by Doveman (opening act) - Um...Doveman...no thanks...
21. Red Chord
22. Some Irish Drinking Song

Movie Review - Once (2007)

Starring Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová
Directed by John Carney

I love this movie.

I realize that there's nothing to it...heck, we don't even learn the main characters' names. Guy is a guitar player. Girl meets guitar player on the street. They both share musical sensibilities and gradually develop a friendship over the course of a few days as they create songs that detail their burgeoning love story.

It absolutely helps that I think Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová are pretty darn brilliant musicians as over 45 minutes of this 86 minute film are filled with music. I could listen to their stuff all day and not get bored (I might get a little depressed, but it would be worth it), so hearing it in the movie as it pushes the story forward is something special.

Hansard and Irglová are "real" here. There's never a moment where you feel like they're acting. There's a "cinema verité" style in place...the cameras are simply capturing everyday life -- the joy, the pain, and everything in between.

This movie just gets better and better upon repeated viewings. So good.

The RyMickey Rating: A