THE BAND'S VISIT Previews — Page 5

QueenAlice said: "I mean tableaus created by the staging. Cromer has directed this in a way that there are always subtle things happening in all the corners of the stage.

You won't miss any projections."

Got it - that makes sense. I agree that it's a worthy trade-off to have such an intimate view of the actors... hopefully my parents agree. :) Thanks!

Unless things have changed drastically since the Atlantic production, the Band's Visit is a full blown musical. It is not a "play with music". Music comes out of the air (despite that it's provided by the "character band" not the pit). The character band is not playing songs that the characters know. These characters are singing their emotions and advancing plot and character. The lyrics, poetic as they are, are dialogue. Not comment. There are a couple of numbers like that, but the instrumental "Sonny" playing in the background at the roller rink is really the closest this play really comes to being a "play with music".

Owen- I never said the show was a play with music; I said it has the spirit and tone of a play with music. There is far more dialogue than the normal book musical, some of the characters- including the male lead - don’t sing, and those audiences coming in expecting traditional musical structure and pacing might be disappointed.

The Broadway production actually does feature a couple of characters singing some brief snippets of well known songs mostly from the Chet Baker catalog. So it’s definitely not accurate to say every bit of music on the stage was written for the musical.

Updated On: 10/10/17 at 09:40 PM

Well this morning I exchanged my rear mezzanine ticket to a front mezzanine one for only $10. Thanks to those who described the view from the rear mezz. But I'm pretty vertically challenged so I was a little worried I'd spend the entire musical peering over the wall.

bwayphreak234 said: "Well, I am going to have to be the sole voice of dissent on The Band’s Visit. I found the entire affair to be mind numbingly dull beyond belief. Meandering, dense, dull, endless, and absolutely pointless. Shout out to Katrina Lenk, though, for delivering a stellar performance. This was without a doubt the longest and most boring 90 minutes I have ever spent in a Broadway theatre. I’m glad everyone else liked this, but it wasn’t for me."

I was in the last row center mezz on Monday night and had the exact same feeling. You are simply more brave than I to be the first to voice it. I was extremely disappointed that everyone sitting around me found something I seemed to miss. I thought it had charming moments and performances, but the show as a whole I really didn't enjoy. I wish it the best and hope it finds an audience as it clearly is being enjoyed and praised by the vast majority.

I believe the pacing is intentional. Obviously, they might still be finding their footing on Broadway, but it’s definitely a show where silence and the unsaid speak volumes. Nothing happens in the town, but even with the arrival of the band, this is how Bet Hatikva takes in new life and new experiences. An accidental visit heightens emotion and connection not in a flashy way but in a human way and everyone leaves changed. It’s like experiencing life in real time and not in the tight pacing of conventional musical theatre. This is why people liken it to the feel of a play with music or an independent film. I believe all of that is what they were going for.

I do fear it won’t resonate with a typical musical theatre crowd, but I found it entirely refreshing and so non-commercial, especially when comparing it to the other shows coming in this season (Mean Girls, Frozen, SpongeBob, Margaritaville, Harry Potter). The risk-taking of bringing this to Broadway is very exciting. We should have more fresh, different types of shows out there and have people make up their minds about it when they see it and not before they buy their tickets. And not to mention the diverse representation this show brings to Broadway, which is still so sorely needed. A subtle message of Israelis and Arabs connecting in a peaceful way...it’s heavenly and a much needed message in our world.

I saw this last night and overall enjoyed the spirit of the show. I didn't know anything about it but while waiting for my friend outside the theater, I overheard one of the producers tell his friends that it's a quiet musical and after seeing it, I completely agree. I sat in row E front side mezz and the view was great! Legroom was great (I think the legroom in front mezz is better than rear mezz.) My ticket was $69 and it was worth it for a full-view front side mezz seat.

One thing I found odd was how Katrina Lenk was not given the last bow alone. She shared it with Tony and yes I understand Tony is more famous in mainstream America but I generally felt Katrina deserved it more.

I really enjoyed the roller skate scene. It's a scene I certainly have experienced when I was younger.

For some reason, I just presumed there was going to be an intermission so yes, I checked my watch 3/4 of the way. It felt long. Given its slow pace and quiet musical, I actually think it may help it if it has a 15 minute intermission where friends can chat about the show and those who are not understanding the content can at least learn from friends some of the subtle areas they may be missing.

Also, I understand the Egyptian/Israeli accents make it more realistic, but I wish there were surtitles so I can fully understand what they were saying.

Updated On: 10/11/17 at 03:41 PM

I do think where you sit for the show matters. Rear mezz is in my opinion too far away to connect with the material



I can’t say I was exceptionally moved while I was watching the show, but reflecting on it over the past couple days, I find it all very moving. The point of the story is of course how small, seemingly inconsequential events can change peoples lives. You should care, because your life has been changed by people you don’t know in very small ways that seem meaningless. And if we, as a collective could just be a little more aware of that, perhaps we would be just a little bit kinder, and the world would be perhaps just a little bit of a better place. I understand those that will feel this message is not big enough for musical theater, or Broadway, or Broadway prices.

But clearly, there are many who are connecting with the show, because the word-of-mouth and the ticket sales are very strong. I’m sure it will stick around till Tony season. It’s going to win a few Tony’s as well and that will no doubt help.

Updated On: 10/11/17 at 10:10 PM

QueenAlice said: "I do think where you sitfor the show matters. Rear mezzis in my opiniontoo far away to connect with the material"

I disagree. The show is in a small theatre. I do not think I would have liked this show even if I was in the front row.

Does anyone know how much box seats are?

I saw this last night. Bought my seat as soon as I could when they were available and sat in K2, great side aisle orchestra seat. Enjoyed the music and Katrina Lenk was amazing. Agree it is slow-paced and I found myself thinking about what I was going to eat after the show let out, even though I wasn't particularly hungry. This was my 9th show in 6 nights, so maybe I was just tired, but I thought this might be my favorite show, so I saved it for last.

I thought that the accents were hard to understand at times, and sometimes inconsistent. It made it a bit distracting. I got confused by two characters dressed similarly in the soft lighting, so wasn't sure what was going on in those scenes. I couldn't understand anything one character was singing, even though he didn't sing with an accent. I think maybe he wasn't loud enough because it was a quiet song, and when he had a moment when he was emotional and loud, I could tell that he had an amazing voice, but also couldn't understand what he said.

i enjoyed the humor, and it was nice to see Tony Shalhoub. To me, it was sweet, cute, delightful at times, touching. Loved the music, so I'm sure I will listen to the cast recording over and over once it is released. Might consider seeing it again at a discount at a later date if I have an empty show slot.

Since when has not liking something ever stopped you from suffering through it again so you can whine anew?