Once, The Musical
Once was a phenomenal musical due to the contrast between the fast and slow-paced music, the humor, and the organic nature of the sounds. Although many of the numbers had the same instrumentation, each of them had a distinct feel meant to capture some sort of emotion, whether it was confusion, longing, or celebration. This contrast in the music kept me engaged throughout the play, as I was never sure what sort of feelings to expect next. In addition, at certain heavy points in the play there were much-needed bursts of comic relief, such as the drummer of the band spontaneously ripping off his pants like he was in the NBA to muffle the bass drum.
The sounds were also very organic in nature, and stayed true to the Irish setting of the play. Something as simple as kicking a hollow box with a heel produced an aesthetically pleasing sound, and it fit many of the scenes that took place in the pub.
All told, Once was a well-executed musical that successfully captured the struggles of relationships and young artists in the music industry.
