THE multi award-winning Broadway and West End musical Once will play the Grand Opera House, York, next year on its debut British tour.

Tickets go on sale at 10am on Monday for the February 3 to 8 run of the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich and Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch production.

Based on writer-director John Carney's 2007cult Irish indie film – made on a budget of only$160,000 – Once tells the uplifting yet yearning story of two lost souls, a Dublin street busker/vacuum cleaner repairman and a Czech immigrant musician - who unexpectedly fall in love.

Charting their relationship across five short days, big changes happen to both Guy and Girl in little ways in a torrid tale of hopes and dreams. The musical score is best known for Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová's Oscar-winning song Falling Slowly; the Broadway show won eight Tony Awards and the West End production garnered an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music.

The musical has a book by Irish playwright and screenwriter Enda Walsh to complement Hansard and Irglová's music and lyrics.

Directed by Peter Rowe, the touring cast will be led by singer-songwriter, musician and actor Daniel Healy as Guy and Emma Lucia as Girl, having starred in the Ipswich and Hornchurch show last year .

Healy has co-written songs for Ronan Keating, most notably Breathe, and appeared in Backbeat and Once in the West End. Emma Lucia made her professional debut as Marilyn and understudying the Carole King role in the British tour of Beautiful. Box office: 0844 871 3024 or at atgtickets.com/york.