Review: Once (på svenska)
Once at Lilla Teatern is an uplifting romantic music festival with a multi-talented ensemble
There is something very special about the little story of the poor, sympathetic Irish street musician with a broken heart and the equally poor, but happy Czech single young mother.
During a few intense, life-changing days, the boy and girl find comfort and hope together and through music. But their mutual feelings never find an outlet in so much as a kiss before they part for good.
A romantic story with an unconventional dramaturgical arc.
The low-budget 2007 film starring Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, written by Enda Walsh and directed by John Carney, was a huge success, much to the surprise of the production team.
Hansard and Irglová won an Oscar for Best Song, and the story was successfully transferred to the theater stages.
The musical has now had its Nordic premiere at Lilla Teatern in very stylish choreography and direction by the theatre’s artistic director Jakob Höglund and an equally successful translation by Annina Enckell (dialogue) and Tobias Zilliacus (song lyrics).
The performance was supposed to be Lillan’s big musical eightieth anniversary party, but this autumn is not exactly the time for big partying – but it’s just right. The standing ovations and whistles of the premiere audience are a clear sign of this.
Multi-talented musicians and walls that become sound
Once is a different musical.
We don’t see any extravagant costumes or sets – Sven Haraldsson’s investment in light, veneer and ripped jeans is just right – and unlike many familiar show musicals, the story has a depth that touches and feels very human.
The music is of course at the center, and in this case, the instruments also account for most of the set design.
Lilla Teatern’s stage is – yes – small, but twelve people and even more string, wind, keyboard and percussion instruments dance smoothly and neatly around each other in well-choreographed, well-rehearsed rhythmic sequences.
I like how feet, walls, pens and the bodies of the instruments themselves participate in creating sound and music.
Several of the actors/musicians alternate between many different instruments in a single cavalcade of joy and talent.
Sometimes the energy and speed are high on stage, but everything and everyone is in the right place. The change of tempo is nice, and a few surprising a cappella numbers and large orchestral pieces make the whole even better.
Tuukka Leppänen, the long-time actor of the Helsinki City Theatre, takes your breath away in the role of the guy (the main characters have no names) with his opening solo number “Just Go”, when he lets you hear what his strong and slightly raspy voice can do.
I haven’t seen Leppänen play in Swedish before, and I’m pleasantly surprised by his Finland-Swedish.
Emma Klingenberg, by now a beloved musical artist with several major roles behind her (and currently also up to date with her own performance with Tove Jansson’s songs) in the other lead role as the girl, is charming, if initially a little too eager in her twinkling interpretation.
Klingenberg has a beautiful voice, but she could take up even more space musically; Now it sometimes feels as if her singing voice is not allowed to reach its full potential.
Leppänen and Klingenberg are nevertheless a successful and coordinated central duo.
Comedic supporting roles
Some supporting roles are particularly memorable.
First and foremost, Alexander Wendelin as the bank manager with his own musical dreams – so god what a gem his (horrible) solo number is!
Wendelin has accurate comedic talent, and that’s something about being able to sing poorly well.
Robert Kock as the buff and temperamental friend does good for the dynamics on stage, and Ulriikka Heikinheimo’s simultaneous violin playing and gymnastics are impressive.
As mentioned, the songs work excellently in the Finland-Swedish interpretation of Zilliacus and sound neither contrived nor cheesy, and Enckell’s text manages to place the play in Dublin with a natural Finland-Swedish spoken language.
Once is a moving, entertaining, musically memorable and nicely packaged performance. Many thanks.