Arthur Darvill to Join West End Cast of ONCE?

Could it be that Arthur Darvill is 'falling slowly' back into the lure of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning Best musical Once? The actor, who made his Broadway debut in the show in the role of 'Guy', departed on December 15th to make way for actor Paul Nolan (Jesus Christ Superstar).

Now, according to whatsonstage.com, rumors are rampant that Darvill will join the West End cast of the show when current star Declan Bennett exits in March. It was recently announced that the production has been extended at the Phoenix Theatre, where it opened in April of 2013.

Best known for his role as Rory Williams in the popular television series Doctor Who, Darvill was last seen on the West End in the role of Parry in 2012's Our Boys. In addition to his time on the iconic BBC time travel series, Darvill was seen as Reverend Paul Coates in the ITV crime drama Broadchurch.

With a book by award-winning Irish playwright and screenwriter Enda Walsh, ONCE is based on the 2007 film written and directed by John Carney, with music and lyrics are by Academy Award-winning Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová who won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Falling Slowly".

Both an actor and musician, Darvill's London stage appearances include Our Boys, Dr Faustus (Shakespeare's Globe), Swimming with Sharks, Marine Parade, Stacy and Terre Haute. His films include Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Pelican Blood, and Robin Hood. Other television includes "Little Dorrit", "The Paradise" and "Broadchurch."

Arthur has written songs for The Shakespeare's Globe production of The Lightning Child which will be presented this Summer and can next be seen as 'Buckingham' in the BBC/Starz adaptation of the Philippa Gregory novels, The White Queen.

Photo credit: Joan Marcus