On & Off Broadway

‘The Band’s Visit’

Review by Elyse Trevers

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Finally, some pleasant news out of the Mid-East. A troupe of Egyptian musicians gets lost in Israel and is warmly welcomed by townspeople living in the middle of nowhere. The award-winning 2007 movie The Band's Visit is now an intimate musical playing at The Linda Gross Theater. The show, with music and lyrics by David Yazbek (The Full Monty), begins with miscommunication. Haled (charming Ari’el Stachel) doesn’t speak English very well, so The Egyptian Ceremonial Police Band, consisting of eight musicians in route to Petah Tikvah winds up in Bet Hatikvah, a sleepy town in Israel where all the inhabitants we meet seem vaguely discontented, if not downright unhappy. Through music, conversation and sometimes a calming presence, all seem momentarily buoyed and transformed, even if only for an evening.

Having missed the last bus out, the locals volunteer to house the band members. Quietly and subtly, the interactions are profound.

Both lonely, Dina (played by sensuous Katrina Lenk) and Tewfiq (Tony Shaloub) connect and, except for an interruption by Dina’s ex-boyfriend, it appears that they will have a passionate moment together. Itzik and his wife are not getting along. He has been out of work and she’s overworked and angry. The presence of the clarinet player who has an unfinished introduction to a symphony calms and reconciles them.


Poor Papi cannot express himself to the girl he likes and is aided in song by Haled, an Egyptian playboy-type who sadly must return home for an arranged marriage. Then, in what appears to be the saddest situation of all, the Telephone Guy waits night after night at the phone booth for his girl friend to call him. Spoiler alert: she finally calls and his jubilant song, “Answer Me,” is probably the best piece in the show.

Director David Cromer has created a play with a slow-pace and much introspection. At times I wished that the musical would move faster.

The skilled actors go from excellent Hebrew and Egyptian to perfectly accented English.

Yazbek’s music has a decidedly Middle-eastern flavor with use of the clarinet and Egyptian musical instruments. There’s a band offstage but most of the Egyptian band members play as well. After the curtain, the band entertains the audience with a rousing Arab-sounding song.

So could it be that with a little understanding and a lot of music the perpetual strife in the Middle East would end? All would find peace and they could, if only the band would visit.