Once @ the Arden in Philly

[paphillyguy]

Posted: 9/26/18 at 9:45am

If you are in Philly or happen to get a chance to visit soon, I highly recommend going to see Once at the Arden Theater.  I got to see it last night and I was blown away with how talented the cast is.  I found the presentation in the round was very well done. The leads were great and had great chemistry and for this show that is key.

Updated On: 9/26/18 at 09:45 AM

[HSky]

Posted: 9/26/18 at 12:44pm

I saw the first preview and thought the way they presented it in the round was very clever. It worked out very well to define a street setting for transitions and I particularly loved how they took advantage of it during "Sleeping."

Much like the Paramount Aurora production I saw in Illinois earlier this year, I felt like the relationship between Guy and Girl was given less restraint and more room to breathe compared to the original.

With Once being one of my favorite shows and this being the first regional Philly production, I'll be back a few more times to see it during the run.

[AC126748]

Posted: 9/26/18 at 12:58pm

I'm seeing it tonight at the opening performance. The Arden has been very hit or miss with musicals lately -- Fun Home was great, their Gypsy less so, and the less said about TouchTones the better -- but I have high hopes for this one.

[paphillyguy]

Posted: 9/26/18 at 1:43pm

I think you are going to enjoy it.  Also, i recommend getting there early as there is something to enjoy before the show.  

[jbird5]

Posted: 9/26/18 at 7:41pm

AC126748 said: "I'm seeing it tonight at the opening performance. The Arden has been very hit or miss with musicals lately --Fun Homewas great, theirGypsyless so, and the less said aboutTouchTonesthe better -- but I have high hopes for this one."

You forgot Cabaret, or not.  I think a small show like Fun Home just scaled much better to that space.  Touchstones was a miss but give them credit for trying something new. Then there was that production of Annie Baker’s John ...

[AC126748]

Posted: 9/27/18 at 8:10am

It's an excellent production -- one of the best musicals I've ever seen at the Arden and some of Terry Nolen's strongest direction in recent memory. The two leads have strong chemistry, although Ken Allen Neely had more than a few problems with pitch on opening night. The ensemble is about as good as it gets. Definitely come early for the pre-show festivities (I won't get more specific for fear of spoiling). I would recommend this to anyone in the Philly area.

Updated On: 9/27/18 at 08:10 AM

[AC126748]

Posted: 9/27/18 at 8:21am

jbird5 said: "AC126748 said: "I'm seeing it tonight at the opening performance. The Arden has been very hit or miss with musicals lately --Fun Homewas great, theirGypsyless so, and the less said aboutTouchTonesthe better -- but I have high hopes for this one."

You forgot Cabaret, or not. I think a small show like Fun Home just scaled much better to that space. Touchstones was a miss but give them credit for trying something new. Then there was that production of Annie Baker’s John ..."

Not to sound glib or combative, but why should we give them "credit for trying something new" when the material was lame, dated and occasionally offensive? They're a major regional theater, so developing new work should be an essential part of their mission. And they have produced interesting new works over the years. TouchTones was written by a playwright with a long history at the Arden who's a close personal friend of the artistic director. Without those factors, I doubt it would have been produced.

And you're right: I did momentarily forget about that Cabaret. A decent production, though it relied heavily on the Mendes concept and didn't really bring much new to the table in the way of ideas. Some good performances, others less so. And yeah, their John was interminable, and I loved that play when I saw it in New York.

[jbird5]

Posted: 9/30/18 at 5:05pm

If you’re in Philly , this is a must see. Might even be worth the trip down from NYC though the season is quite crowded there right now.

[ACL2006]

Posted: 10/8/18 at 5:41am

noticed this got extended by a week. maybe I can make it down to Philly to see this now.

[GF21]

Posted: 10/9/18 at 1:40pm

Thanks for the head's up. Once is one of my favorite shows. We've seen it on Broadway (4x), Hartford, Providence, New Brunswick, and two different Long Island venues. After seeing a couple of clips and reading the reviews we decided to take a little road trip and head down from Long Island to see the show next Saturday. And yes, we will get there early!

[mikem]

Posted: 10/25/18 at 10:03am

I just saw this and agree it was wonderful.  It closes this weekend, so get your tickets now!

(Spoilers)

I saw the show on Broadway with most of the original cast.  The biggest difference between the Broadway and this version IMO was the interpretation of the Girl.  Cristin Milioti was so adorable and instantly charming in the part, and here, it felt like it took longer to warm up to the character, although I found her very endearing by intermission.  But it also made me feel that the current Girl was very complex and had a lot of layers, which is always a good thing. 

I didn't see Elizabeth A Davis on Broadway as Reza, and I was completely confused as to how that role would get someone a Tony nomination.  Her understudy was fine but didn't have much spark.  Kendal Hartse, who plays the role in Philly, is full of fire, and I get it now.

And no pitch problems from anyone.

Updated On: 10/25/18 at 10:03 AM