Once - UK Tour 2020

Second half also very good, with the exception of some microphone feedback.

Main downside was a restless audience, I had shufflers near me, a phone went off, several glasses knocked over etc. This is one of those shows people don’t know what to expect.

A very emotional ending and a standing ovation from a good proportion of the audience. There were more at the back than I’d thought at first glance. There was also some kind of champagne event going on (which I wasn’t part of).

The show finished at 10:25pm, so this is running about 10 minutes longer than scheduled. But I’m sure it will tighten up. Don’t know if I’ll see this again in Croydon, but I’ll definitely catch this later on in the tour.

Personally, I’m happy with any of those and I think this is a show to sit close to the front for.

I like Row A (for other productions). You look slightly up, but you won’t miss anything.

The main downside of the first few rows is the rake is very slight, if there’s any at all.

For £15, they’re excellent value. And this venue just doesn’t sell out so you’d always be able to quietly move if you didn’t like the seat (or the people sitting near you).

That's what it looked like yesterday, but under half of them had anyone sat there. Maybe they have had too many complaints after putting them on sale? Or they just want it to look like there are fewer seats left to sell.

There were very few people there for the matineee on Saturday and I had no problem moving to the front row, together with a Board and theatre illuminary who I was privileged and delighted to meet....
Front row then had 5 people including my family of 4, nobody in rows B or C.

"Girl" was understudied by Hanna Khogali. It was her first ever appearance in the lead role and she did a fine job. I asked my family afterwards if they would have known they were seeing the first performance by an understudy and none of them would.

I do think this show has been given too long a run at Croydon ; three times as many performances compared to other tour venues. With great seats available for £15 it's well worth a visit.

Saw this yesterday afternoon - quite a good turnout I thought.. I wish it had been announced that there was a pre-show, as I only saw about 10 minutes of it. What fabulous musicians. I felt for that girl carrying the cello.

Having seen the show in London a while ago and not having been that taken by it, I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it yesterday. The girl had a beautiful effortless, crystal clear voice. I didn't realise there was so much comedy in it,

Row G is the first raised row - a perfect view.

No, this is a different production without a bar.

Thanks for the answers both.

We caught the last night in Croydon tonight. Really good, a lot of fun. The cast are pretty great. As mentioned above, the bar isn't on the stage at the start however most of the cast are on the stage from at least 20 minutes earlier doing a version of a pub trad session while people take their seats.

Saw this today in Southend. It's stripped back from the original WE production but the music and emotion shine through. I've seen 4 actors play Girl and fallen in love with each of them. It's such a great part and Emma Lucia is excellent - the best vocal performance of the 4. I was pleased they have cut the Billy/Bank Manager relationship which always jarred for me. I hope the tour extends to include London as I want to see it for a 5th time. 5*

I have seen West End production 25 times (+5 times in Dublin where it was technically the same production and even the same set travelled from London) and touring production 6 times (in Hornchurch and Croydon). And I always have time to talk about Once!

The differences are:

Set - the current one looks much more like a pub, the "pre-Sleeping" moment has a huge moon painted ove the characters heads.

Costumes - different but same style

Onstage swings added - they are actively participating in preshow and in some of the numbers. This makes the sound richer as there are more strings playing.

Preshow songs: only 3 or 4 now instead of 6, Irish only (no Czech ones)

Texts are the same, except for Billy is not a "big" but a "tall" man.

Musically they added a few bars of "North Strand" at the end of it to make the scene change to the Da's shop, they slightly lengthened the start of Sleeping. Also first Falling slowly now does not intercept with the dialogue.

Choreo is different but has lots of things that look as they were in WE, probably due to remarks on how to stage the  If You Want me or Pada Pada dance. Flamenko scene is slightly longer.

Staging is quite different. At some moments it works better, but I still miss the people moving while Say It To Me Now and Sleeping.

The Bank Manager and Billy relationship does not differ - as I've seen loads of actors playing the parts, I can say they were allowed to tone the friendship down or make it look as bromance even depending on who is playing with who.

I might come up smth else later!

Stasia I have a question I am sure you can answer  Was the 'Ronan Keeting' line always in the show? Was it also in the show when Ronan was in the cast in the West End?