Exclusive recording of smash hit song before opening of West End musical Once at Milton Keynes Theatre

Daniel Healy as Guy and Emma Lucia as Girl will lead the cast of the first UK Tour of Once, which comes to Milton Keynes Theatre next year from February 17 to 22.

Written by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, Falling Slowly won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, and features in both the 2007 film and the musical.

Daniel said of the song: “At its core it’s very simple, but goes on this beautiful soaring journey. It starts small then builds into this beautiful crescendo. To a certain extent it is open, ambiguous and up for interpretation.

"It could mean anything to anyone. That’s what I love about it and I think that’s what most people, even if they don’t realise it, love about it.”

Emma added: “This song is so special because it’s the first time ‘Guy’ and ‘Girl’ realise that they understand each other; they have a special connection when they make music together.

"Music has always and will always connect people in a way words sometimes can’t. It’s definitely one of my favourite moments in the whole show, it gives me goose bumps every time.”

Based on the critically acclaimed and much-loved film, Once tells the uplifting yet yearning story of two lost souls - a Dublin street busker and a Czech musician - who unexpectedly fall in love.

Following their relationship across five short days, big changes happen to both of them in little ways. Celebrated for its original score including the Academy Award-winning song Falling Slowly, Once is a spell-binding and uplifting story of hopes and dreams.