Review: ONCE Walks on Moonbeams at the Strand-Capitol In York, PA

In every sense of the word, ONCE arrived at The Capitol Strand Performing Arts Center on February 1, 2017, for one night only. The musical is the winner of eight 2012 Tony Awards® and is a theatrical experience like no other. The production stars Sam Cieri (Guy) and Mackenzie Lesser-Roy (Girl) and a marvelous group of actors/musicians. It is a story of an Irish musician and songwriter who spends his nights playing in pubs, and his days fixing vacuum cleaners. He is ready to give up music altogether when a striking, young Czech woman arrives and takes an interest in his melancholic love songs. She left her husband and has come to Dublin looking for a fresh beginning. Through their encounter, a relationship flourishes and so does Guy's music. Guy and Girl become enveloped in a relationship that is not all about love and admiration; it is deeper than that. It is a kinship of respect, honesty, and raw-bearing emotion. Choices need to be made and life needs to flourish for the both of them. The question then becomes, will they be together or apart while marking their time? The answer is both wrenching and beautiful, and usually is one that only needs answering once in a lifetime.

The musical has one set, expertly designed by Bob Crowley, which transforms anywhere from a bar to a bedroom, with the cleverest of ease. Natasha Katz's lighting design adds the sparkle needed to allow for a space to be filled with attention-grabbing clarity. On the set stands a bar, with many mirrors in shapes and sizes adorning the walls. Chairs are placed according to the scene and done so as if characters themselves, sinuously marking their spots.

As the lights are lowered and the show begins, the audience is hushed by a song and the melodic sound of a mandolin, setting the tone for what is to come, attentively and beautifully.

Act One begins with Guy playing an original song on his guitar. As he plays, Girl enters listening intently. Upon seeing Girl, Guy ceases playing. Girl begins asking personal questions of him to no avail, to which she responds, "I know you can talk, I heard you sing." To break the ice, Girl presents a vacuum cleaner that needs fixing. As a lure for Guy to continue writing and singing, she proposes playing piano for him while they both sing one of his original songs, FALLING SLOWLY, which was written with his ex-girlfriend as the inspiration. The lyrics and emotion of the song pulls Guy back into a sense of being; guided gingerly by Girl. Guy responds enthusiastically; but while looking into a mirror, reminds himself to "slow down." He recognizes that precious moments are made to linger. The song, THE MOON, embodies the subtext of this necessary patience.

When Girl sits at the piano and begins to play IF YOU WANT ME, Guy joins in with his guitar. Lesser-Roy's voice is one of rare beauty. She sings so purely and with such clarity that every lyric draws its own picture into clear focus. When Cieri joins in with his soothing gift of a voice, the song takes its own path into the subconscious. The blend of the two actors' voices is hauntingly beautiful.

The last song before Intermission, GOLD, is performed by the Ensemble playing their respective instruments brilliantly. Each actor/musician was a joy to watch play with an abundance of passion. What stood out for me during this song, and throughout the musical, were the slight and subtle body movements, choreographed by Steven Hoggett, that accented the downbeats of a song. With GOLD, a flicking of the hand at the wrist was just enough of a break in the fluidity of movement to emphasize an accent. It was a beautiful marriage of rhythm with body and soul. With the song WHEN YOUR MIND'S MADE UP, it is the slice-of-life snapshot of bodies lined up side-by-side until a head softly falls on a shoulder, breaking the line of unity.

During Guy's monologue in Act Two, the soft sound of ocean waves breaking can be heard. He speaks his truth through the metaphor of a rock having both smooth and sharp edges. The smooth side is the safe side of his life, while the sharp rocks of the ocean represent what it is like for him to be scared. Having both allow for lessons to be learned. The blocking of Guy and Girl on a rooftop during this scene physically puts the actors off the ground; reaching for something more. It is a chance to look up for answers and not down for complacency. Guy needs to decide to both go to New York and develop as a singer and songwriter, or stay and to continue being stuck in the only life he has known. Girl speaks her truth in the end of the scene by saying, "I love you." It is spoken so softly that Guy does not hear it the first time. Upon asking Girl to repeat her spoken words, she changes her mind and says, "It looks like rain." Girl realizes that by speaking her truth, she would be letting go of her past and hindering his future. She is too unselfish to do either.

After Lesser-Roy graces us with her magical rendition of THE HILL, the decision becomes clear that she will need to stay to await her husband's arrival and try to save their marriage. And, Guy must go to pursue his dream of being a singer and songwriter. After the song the two come together in an intimate stance, a breath away from a kiss. Instead, Girl's hands return to her pockets, right where they started.

The plot sounds so incredibly simplistic; but ONCE is far from being so. The depth of meaning in word and song resonates differently for each person. It may leave one person with a sense of longing for answers and another with absolute confirmations. Both conclusions are fulfilled with this second U.S. Touring Cast. This production is brilliant and in a league of its own. Every actor/musician touches their words and songs with passion and devotion. They shine with clarity and perform with excellence.

ONCE is on tour and performing through April 15, 2017. Tickets may be purchased at www.oncemusical.com/tour. Photos by Joan Marcus, Production Photographer, ONCE

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