Win tickets to London west end musical ʻOnce’

Whether performed on Broadway, in London’s west end theater or in other locations, the musical “Once,” with its captivating plot and melodic songs, has always garnered widespread recognition and accolades.

In less than one week, audiences in Shenzhen will have the opportunity to watch the acclaimed musical locally on stage, as the New York-based theatrical brand Harmonia is bringing the award-winning show to China, and there will be a stop at the Bay Opera of Shenzhen during the musical’s first tour in the country.

Based on the 2007 film of the same name by John Carney, “Once” tells the story about the meeting between Guy, a busker on the streets of Dublin, and Girl, a flower seller from the Czech Republic, both at a low in their lives. Love grows in the two young people’s hearts as they find resonance in each other out of their shared passion for music. Together, they write songs, form a band, record the songs in a studio … And where will this love lead to?

Featuring songs that appear in the film “Once” written by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, including “Falling Slowly” which won the duo the 2008 Academy Award for Best Original Song, the musical has reaped numerous heavyweight industry awards, including a Tony Award for Best Musical, a Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical, a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, and a Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music.

The lineup of its China tour will include Arthur Darvill as Guy, who is known for portraying television series characters such as Rory Williams in “Doctor Who” and Rip Hunter in “Legends of Tomorrow.” His performance in the musical “Oklahoma!” won him the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical earlier this year. Inès De Clercq, who has appeared in television series including “Broadchurch,” “EastEnders” and “The Following Events are Based on a Pack of Lies,” will play Girl.

Shenzhen Daily and the Bay Opera of Shenzhen will invite two readers to watch the show! Simply follow our official WeChat account, share this article on your WeChat Moments, and leave us a comment (either in English or in Chinese) below to let us know that you are interested in getting a ticket.

The two lucky readers picked by Shenzhen Daily will each receive a ticket for the Dec. 14 (Thursday) performance.

Your chance to win a free ticket will be higher if you share in your comment something about you and “Once” – whether it’s your thoughts after watching the film or the musical, or your expectations about the musical’s coming to Shenzhen.

Dates: 8 p.m., Dec. 14, 15 and 16; 3 p.m., Dec. 16

Length: About 130 minutes (including a 20-minute intermission)

Ticket: 180/280/380/480/680/880/1080 yuan

Booking: Official WeChat account “深圳滨海艺术中心”

Venue: Bay Opera of Shenzhen, Bao’an District (宝安区深圳滨海艺术中心)

Metro: Metro Line 5 to Baohua Station (宝华站), Exit D then walk around 900 meters