Riedel on "The Band's Visit" being a Tony favorite

[10086sunset]

Posted: 12/19/17 at 9:03pm

https://nypost.com/2017/12/19/the-bands-visit-is-already-a-tony-favorite/

[BroadwayConcierge]

Posted: 12/19/17 at 9:10pm

For once, I can agree with Riedel. This show deserves every single accolade it gets.

[DeepVSexyWitch2]

Posted: 12/19/17 at 9:15pm

This show was my favorite night at the theatre in all of 2017. It's Lenk's Tony to lose, in my opinion. 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 12/19/17 at 9:32pm

I know I’m in the minority, but I absolutely detested pretty much everything about The Band’s Visit. I found it to be mind numbingly dull beyond belief, meandering, and pointless. I am glad so many other are enjoying it, but I am definitely not one of them.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 12/19/17 at 10:02pm

Beautiful show. I'm really happy that it's finding it's audience and Yazbeck will finally get his Tony.

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 12/19/17 at 10:50pm

It really is a lovely and beautiful show. There’s something magical about it. I am so happy to relive it with the gorgeous cast album.

[TFMH18]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 10:58am

"Frozen, SpongeBob, and Mean Girls are all contenders certainly!" 

That's funny. This show picked the PERFECT season to open, and it is a virtual impossibility that anything will beat it for best musical. Lenk, too, is a done deal for actress.

[bwayboy22]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 12:54pm

Has anyone heard anything about Hadestown?

[ChildofEarth]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 12:59pm

bwayphreak234 said: "I know I’m in the minority, but I absolutely detested pretty much everything about The Band’s Visit. I found it to be mind numbingly dull beyond belief, meandering, and pointless. I am glad so many other are enjoying it, but I am definitely not one of them."

^^ All of this. I actually turned to my companion and went, "This is the show they were all talking about?" I don't get it - but I'm glad that this season, the "little" show is getting the accolades.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 1:19pm

bwayphreak234 said: "I know I’m in the minority, but I absolutely detested pretty much everything about The Band’s Visit. I found it to be mind numbingly dull beyond belief, meandering, and pointless. I am glad so many other are enjoying it, but I am definitely not one of them."

I agree. I actually disliked the score by Yazbeck a lot. I liked "Answer Me" and the final encore by the band members but I thought Omar Sharif was/is cloying and have no idea why this score is getting so much praise. 

[ACL2006]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 1:24pm

It's only competition this season are all theme park shows, so I'm not surprised.

[GeorgeandDot]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 1:39pm

The haters of this show really are loud on here. I've heard nothing, but great things from other people. Idk, what's up with ya'll. Did we see the same show?

[markypoo]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 1:52pm

The way the critics - and a lot of people on this board - have gone ape**** over both Spongebob and Ethan Slater, it really throws a scare into me, Tony-wise.

[ChildofEarth]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 1:53pm

GeorgeandDot said: "The haters of this show really are loud on here. I've heard nothing, but great things from other people. Idk, what's up with ya'll. Did we see the same show?"

It’s like people have...opinions.

[leighmiserables]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 2:35pm

bwayboy22 said: "Has anyone heard anything about Hadestown?"

I've heard that it's planning to transfer this coming fall a lot, but not from particularly reliable sources. Hopefully it does. 

[Jeffrey Karasarides]

Posted: 12/20/17 at 2:47pm

ACL2006 said: "It's only competition this season are all theme park shows, so I'm not surprised."

I wouldn't say that the rest of the new musicals this season are theme park shows, just more commercially driven.

Though it should be interesting to see what will win Best Musical at the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards next year given that The Band's Visit was already eligible at both of those groups for its off-Broadway production last season.

[LizzieBB]

Posted: 12/21/17 at 1:06pm

bwayphreak234 said: "I know I’m in the minority, but I absolutely detested pretty much everything about The Band’s Visit. I found it to be mind numbingly dull beyond belief, meandering, and pointless. I am glad so many other are enjoying it, but I am definitely not one of them."

I completely agree. I saw the show this week with high expectations given the rave reviews and all the buzz about this being the Tony sure thing. I do not understand all the praise. Maybe it was more magical off-Broadway? I thought Tony Shaloub acted it well, /!: I enjoyed the big number towards the end (initiated by the "telephone guy", an underused Adam Kantor). But overall I was incredibly disappointed. I'm a big fan of smaller, thoughtful shows, but this just did not have enough to keep my interest, and the score was incredibly weak.

[ljay889]

Posted: 12/21/17 at 1:11pm

Wow. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But I never thought a David Yazbek score would be described as “Incredibly weak.” The Band’s Visit and Women on the Verge are his best work to date.

Updated On: 12/21/17 at 01:11 PM