Revisiting 'The Band's Visit'


A few months ago, I saw The Band's Visit after months of hearing what a beautifully lyrical show it is. And at the time, I liked it a lot. But it wasn't exactly what I had expected. Most of the reviews I had read said that the show is like "being inside a poem." They went onto say that the show was one of the most beautiful shows they'd seen in quite some time. 

 Now, like I said, I enjoyed the show, but it wasn't as beautiful as everyone made it out to be. It was small and compact, with not a lot of glitz and glamour. Those are the types of shows I enjoy most. And the cast is amazingly talented. They all work so well together, and they each fit their characters perfectly. The music was beautiful, and fitting for the story of an Egyptian band accidentally spending the evening in an Israeli town. The use of Hebrew and Egyptian throughout, and the casting of actors of Middle Eastern descent, made me love the show even more.

 However, I didn't see the poetry the reviewers mentioned. In my opinion, the main storyline worked well, but the other smaller stories seemed disjointed. It deserves the awards its won, but it's definitely not on my Top 10 list. 

 Though, in the time since I've seen the show, I've had the chance to hear some of the music on multiple occasions thanks to my incessant listening of Sirius Broadway. Each time I hear "Papi Hears the Ocean" or "The Concert", I like them more and more. Then tonight, I heard "Answer Me" and I realized just how perfect the show is. "Answer Me" is a song sung by one character who is waiting for his girlfriend to call him. In the show, each time you see this character, he's standing in front of the same payphone waiting for her to call. 

 The moment I heard the song this evening, I was transported to Israel and could see the set and the character and even the turning of the stage turntable in my mind. Just a few notes of the song took me back to that theatre. That's what I feel is the best indication of the success of a musical - its ability to transport the audience to another place entirely.

 So all of this being said, what do I know? Apparently The Band's Visit is as truly amazing as everyone says. Sometimes, those reviewers really know what they're talking about.

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