I have been eager to attend this show again to see how well it made the transition from off-Broadway to Broadway. I didn’t want to spend a fortune so I have been entering the show’s $40 lottery (thebandsvisitlottery.com) whenever I could and finally got lucky, landing a good seat in the second row of the mezzanine.
Here is what I had to say about the show the first time I saw it:
Sunday, November 27, 2016
B+
Atlantic Theater Company is presenting this musical adaptation of the popular 2007 Israeli film about an Egyptian police band that inadvertently becomes stranded overnight in an isolated town while on a goodwill visit to Israel. The music and lyrics are by David Yazbek (The Full Monty) and the book is by Itamar Moses (Bach at Leipzig). The songs are well-integrated into the story with much of the music being performed by actors playing band members. The book, faithful to the screenplay almost to a fault, incorporates large chunks of dialog from the film. It is virtually impossible to develop 20 characters in any depth in 95 minutes even without making time for a dozen songs. In some cases, we get a bare sketch, but in others, the characterization actually goes deeper than in the film. The show is greatly enhanced by a fine cast and high production values. Katrina Lenk (Indecent) is excellent as Dina, owner of the town cafe. John Cariani (Something Rotten!) brings richness to the role of Itzik. Ari’el Stachel is just right as the band’s young hunk Haled. George Abud and Sam Sadigursky are standouts as actor-musicians. Last but not least, Tony Shalhoub (The Price) brings dignity and compassion to the role of Tewfiq, the bandleader. The evocative scenic design by Scott Pask (Something Rotten!) makes effective use of a revolving stage. Sarah Laux’s (The Humans) costumes fit their characters well. The direction by David Cromer (Tribes, Our Town) is fluid and assured. The result is an intimate, engaging show with an edge of poignancy. I could not suppress a twinge of regret over how badly the situation in Egypt and Israel has deteriorated since 1996, the year in which the story is set. Running time: one hour, 35 minutes; no intermission.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that very little had changed. Except for the replacement of Tony Shalhoub by Dariush Kashani (Oslo, The Invisible Hand), the cast was the same. The beauty of the score remains the highlight for me, along with the strong performance by Katrina Lenk. Kashani is creditable, but lacks Shalhoub’s barely masked sadness. The pacing seemed a bit sluggish, but it clocked in at only five minutes longer than at the Atlantic. Somehow, the various elements did not cohere as well for me this time around. The band’s musical number during the curtain call was enjoyable, but seemed tacked on. I heard considerable grumbling from people around me who were expecting a more traditional Broadway musical. Apparently, it’s not for everyone, but if you enjoy a low-key poignant story with gorgeous music, you will be rewarded. Running time: one hour 40 minutes; no intermission.
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