The cast of Once (Don Ipock)
Who doesn’t love a grand theatrical event? Fantastical stories, outsized drama, life-and-death conflicts—these things excite us. But we cannot underestimate the appeal and the impact of quieter, self-contained, intimate stories. There’s beauty in watching two characters meet, move each other, and move on. These shows—shows like Once, now running at KC Rep—can affect us more deeply than any display of spectacle.
Once is based on the film of the same name, which was written and directed by John Carney. The 2007 film enraptured audiences (and won an Oscar) with its understated charm and evocative music. The decision to adapt the small Irish movie into a Broadway musical didn’t feel like an obvious one, but it was inspired. Edna Walsh’s book translates Carney’s story beautifully and Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová’s music takes on a new life onstage while remaining penetratively moving.
The music director on KC Rep’s production is Dan Weschler, co-founder of PigPen Theatre Company, several of whose members make up the Once cast. PigPen collaborated with KC Rep in 2022 for the dazzling folk musical The Old Man and the Moon and their expertly stylized folk sensibilities are a perfect match for this show. In this play about two extremely talented and passionate but down-on-their-luck musicians, music is the driving, foundational life force. Nearly every cast member doubles as a music-maker, filling the space with a melange of string instruments, accordions, and lilting vocals.
The music is enchanting, but it’s only one half of what makes Once so compelling. The connection between its two leads is the other. Guy and Girl, played to perfection here by Ben Ferguson and Tiffany Topol, are both “stuck,” though that manifests differently in each. Guy is despondent after a breakup and has given up not just on music, but on himself. (It doesn’t help that his songs are about his now-ex-girlfriend.) Girl, a young Czech immigrant and single mother, has an intense drive that inspires others but hides her own inhibitive fears.
When the two meet on a Dublin street, Girl’s effect on Guy is immediate, pulling him out of his depressed state and convincing him to record his music in a real attempt to make it as a professional musician. The assumption that he will be successful if only he can reignite his passion is never in question. In fact, while there are some romantic stumbling blocks between the two leads and some logistical hurdles in the recording process, the play is largely free of conflict in the traditional dramatic sense. Guy’s biggest obstacle is himself and it’s overcome as soon as he meets Girl.
Guy’s impact on Girl is less immediately apparent but still poignant. The entire play takes place over just a few days, underscoring the wonder of those whirlwind relationships that can have such a deep impact in such a brief time. This is a will they/won’t they romance but their future (like their pasts, which left them so stuck) is far less important than the immediacy of what they are currently experiencing in each other’s presence. The magic here rests in the ephemeral nature of the premise and the chemistry between the two leads—which, in this case, is captivating.
KC Rep’s production of Once, directed by Stuart Carden, is sublime visually as well as auditorily. Brian Bembridge’s set is simplicity on a grand scale, with modest panes of glass, enriched and transformed by Cat Tate Starmer rich lighting, spanning up to the towering ceiling. Vanessa Severo’s crisp, lively choreography fills the space and amplifies the emotional resonance of the songs. The show is a delight (albeit a melancholy one) from top to bottom: a small show packed to the brim with big emotions.
