Once to close in March before embarking on European tour

Once the Musical has announced that it will close at the Phoenix Theatre on 21 March 2015 before embarking on a European tour.

Ronan Keating, who joins the show on 17 November will lead the cast as Guy, alongside Jill Winternitz as Girl, through to the show's closure.

Based on the much-loved Oscar-winning film, Once tells the story of a chance encounter between a girl and guy from different worlds but with a shared love of music and songwriting. The West End production opened in April 2013 and went on to win the 2014 WhatsOnStage Award for Best Original Music and the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music.

Once has book by award-winning Irish playwright and screenwriter Enda Walsh. Based on the 2007 motion picture written and directed by John Carney, music and lyrics are by Academy Award-winning Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová who, for "Falling Slowly", won the Oscar for Best Original Song.

Directed for the stage by John Tiffany, Once has scenic and costume designs by Bob Crowley, lighting by Natasha Katz, sound by Clive Goodwin, musical supervision and orchestrations by Martin Lowe and movement by Steven Hoggett.

No further information has been released regarding the European tour at this point.