Once, Auckland NZ, 2019

Once

29th June 2019
ASB Waterfront Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand.

Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Jakob Munford.

Director Jesse Peach admits that he spent six years chasing the New York Producers who held the rights for Once to be able to bring it to New Zealand, a labour of love to be sure and rather appropriate considering that love with it’s many different facets is the main theme of the musical which is based on the 2007 Irish film written and directed by John Carney.

Performed at the ASB Waterfront Theatre whose capacity which falls just shy of seven hundred is perfectly suited for the rather intimate nature of Once, the audience were greeted by the cast themselves wandering the isles whilst in full song, the effect instantly transporting one and all to the pubs of Ireland where impromptu jam sessions are almost a pre-requisite.

Seamlessly sliding from sing-along into the play itself, the lights slowly faded to engulf the audience in blackened stillness, the main characters of Girl and Guy introduced and with it the evidence that both Adam Ogle and Lisa Crawley are musically right for the parts. Due to the simplistic nature of Once’s stage setting and storyline, the characters involved are kept to a small core group, each of the actors also required to be part of the on-stage orchestra as they flow in and out of the spotlight. It’s a tough call to find competent musicians who can also act, and this is probably the only minor downfall of the entire production.

While Crawley, an outstanding and accomplished singer/songwriter, plays the part of Girl with the resolve of a Czech single mother, her accent spot on, she often holds herself far too stiffly throughout. Ogle on the other hand seems more comfortable within his acting shoes, however there are still periods where the discourse between both himself and Crawley comes across as stilted, the pauses between lines during more lengthy dialogue just requiring to be knitted together a little more closely thus allowing for fluidity.

Where Ogle genuinely shines is when he dons his instrument and takes flight, both his vocals and guitar playing throughout the production sincerely conveying the emotions of a man torn by the affairs of the heart; his opening rendition of ‘Leave’ immediately capturing the attention of all who were present. Supported by a cast of nine that includes such wonderful personalities as Peter Tait and Arthur Ranford, it was the vivacious Jackie Clarke who impressed, stealing a scene or two by not only adopting an Irish accent during the introduction but a Czech one as well when playing the part of Girl’s mother; the entire ensemble keeping engagement levels high as they moved in and around the set.

Instrumental highlights from Emily Campbell on violin and Alistair Sewell on cello beautifully elevated the swelling emotions of such pieces as ‘Gold’ and of course ‘Falling Slowly’ which encapsulates the story of Guy and Girl. The musical isn’t without it’s humour either, Act One positively brimming with material that brought mirth to the room, the second seeing unrealised love step to the forefront, the clever use of projected dialogue against the back of the stage lifting the sentiment of a pivotal moment to it’s peak.

Matt Munford excelled with his stage design, which enabled the story to shift from scene to scene with just a few changes of key set pieces, the simplicity of it all allowing for the cast and more importantly the music itself to remain the focus; the costuming and make-up (Once never requiring big and fanciful) complimenting both set and characters. The lighting designed by Jo Kilgour is softly winsome with just the right amount of stage smoke lazily swirling beneath the rafters; it cradles the cast and cleverly brings about both a sense of warmth and yet longing during such moments as Crawley’s stunning turn on the piano for the song ‘The Hill’.

Jesse Peach is to be congratulated for bringing Once to New Zealand shores, for it illustrates just how diverse and talented our pool of New Zealand talent truly is, each and every musical piece throughout the production an absolute gem.

Were you there at the ASB Waterfront Theatre for this great stage adaption? Tell us about it in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this content, please consider donating towards the running of Ambient Light, covering expenses and allowing us to expand the coverage you love by visiting our PressPatron page.