One of the most-anticipated touring musicals to visit Milwaukee, The Band’s Visit, also turned out to be the most disappointing. Expectations were high for this much-awarded (10 Tonys!) musical and its offbeat story of an Egyptian Police Band. But the large Marcus Center for the Performing Arts proved to be too cavernous for this intimate, small-scale musical that never got off the ground except when the entire band is playing its instruments. On Broadway, The Band’s Visit opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theater in early 2017, and completed 589 regular performances before ending its run at the end of that year. It broke the theater’s box office records twice during its run. Previously, the show opened to critical acclaim at the Atlantic Theater Company, where its initial engagement was extended twice. As the musical begins, an Egyptian police band is waiting to board a bus for an Arab city, where they have been invited to play for a celebration. The band’s leader is reminding the others that they represent their country, and had better behave accordingly. For some odd reason, they board a bus and find themselves in a very small town in Israel. This is not the correct destination. The last bus has departed for the day, there are no hotels, and the band members must seek refuge in the homes of some of the residents. “It’s quiet here,” says band leader Tewfig (Sasson Gabay) to his self-appointed host, a local café owner named Dina (Chilina Kennedy). “Dead,” she responds, as if one word covers the lack of cultural amenities in this far-off place. The plot is ploddingly slow, as the musicians pair off with their respective hosts and settle in for the night. In one family, a new baby has heightened the tension between his parents. In another scene, a band member wanders off to see the city sights. It is a brief trip. There are a few humorous moments at a roller rink, where one local couple seem to be from different planets. One of the band members steps in to give courting advice to the seemingly clueless young man. While some scenes are modestly interesting, the overall effect is mind-numbing. Here’s the message: Only through music, “the universal language,” can people truly communicate with each other. The cast performs adequately under David Cromer’s direction. Special mention goes to Chilina Kennedy as Dina, and her reluctant guest, Sasson Gabay as Tewfig. Gabay played the same role in the 2007 film, so we are seeing as authentic a performance as possible. Much of the musical’s nuance is lost within Milwaukee’s Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. That is the likely reason why this small-scale show fails to capture one’s attention, and one’s respect. Interestingly, this same venue didn’t seem to impede the production of Once, another musical with some similarities to The Band’s Visit.
