Why go and see it?
A Broadway and West End hit musical that's a ravishing love story with a bittersweet difference, Once casts a spell over the audience just as its two lead characters cast a spell over each other.
Based on a cult 2006 Irish indie feature, originally shot on a micro-budget of just $160,000, it tells the uplifting yet yearning story of a part-time Dublin guitarist busker (who works by day in his dad's Hoover repair shop) who falls unexpectedly in love with a young Czech immigrant fellow musician. As we follow their relationship across five short days, big changes happen to both of them in little ways.
Watch the trailer
Suffolk Queensway, Birmingham, West Midlands, B5 4DS
Mon - Sat at 19:30
Wed and Sat at 14:30 and 19:30
As conjured by a score of original Irish-inflected songs, written by the original stars of the film Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, the atmosphere is partly a busked concert and partly an aching romance that feels both spontaneous and freshly minted. The music, played live by the actors themselves, is alternately beautiful and rousing, and Enda Walsh's script quietly overwhelms with its sense of spirit, sincerity and solitude.
There's no other show quite like it. It's the most unusual, unique and affecting musical you're ever likely to see. It has a spontaneous free-form improvisatory vitality, yet it is also emotionally precise in the understated air of longing that anyone who has ever been in love will recognise instantly. And audiences will fall head over heels in love with the show, too. Once is a genuine one-off which you'll need to see at least once -- but it's also unlikely to be your last time, as you'll want to see it again (and again).
This show wins standing ovations the old-fashioned way: with a love story, great songs, compelling characters and inventive stagecraft. At this point in Broadway history, this feels downright revolutionary- New York Post
An exquisite reminder of theater's singular capacity to transport us- Th Hollywood Reporter
A love affair with music… fresh and unexpected- The New York Times
What the critics say
It's funny, its truthful, it sings- The Times
Wins you over with its simplicity, charm and air of sweet melancholy- The Guardian
Charmingly funny and affecting- The Independent
The Alexandra, Birmingham
Suffolk Queensway, Birmingham, West Midlands, B5 4DS
Birmingham New Street Station and Grand Central.
The Box Office is open for 90 minutes prior to the performance commencing. See 'What's On' section for performance times
Bar - Pre-show & interval drinks and snacks
Membership Benefits - 25% off pre-show drinks (30mins prior)
Birmingham’s beloved theatre, The Alexandra, was built in 1901 by William Coutts and throughout its vast history, has become home to first class entertainment. In 2018, the venue underwent an extensive refurbishment and reverted to its original name, The Alexandra. The theatre is a valuable contributor to culture within Birmingham and the West Midlands, presenting first-rate musicals, drama, comedy and more.
Notable performances at The Alexandra Theatre include Chicago, Fame and An Inspector Calls, with new shows added regularly. It’s seen many famous faces throughout the years and continues to bring star-studded shows to Birmingham straight from London’s West End. Browse The Alexandra’s show listings now.
Suffolk Queensway, Birmingham, West Midlands, B5 4DS
Mon - Sat at 19:30
Wed and Sat at 14:30 and 19:30
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