The Band’s Visit premieres in Manila

The Band’s Visit, one of the most awarded musicals in theater history, will have its international premiere in Manila. Directed by Bobby Garcia, the Atlantis Theatrical Entertainment Group presentation will play at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza in Makati from March 13 to 29. This is Atlantis’ first production for its 2020 season and Bobby has truly picked a gem. The Band’s Visit is a rare soul enriching experience that should not be missed.

Based on the acclaimed Israeli film of the same title, The Band’s Visit tells the story of an Egyptian police band that arrives in a village to play a concert only to find out that it is in the wrong place. Very wrong, in fact because a mix-up of bus tickets took the band members to a very backward Israeli town where they are forced to spend the night among strangers. Under the spell of the desert sky, their lives become intertwined in the most unexpected ways. They part the next day as friends. They may not see each other again but they are all richer in spirit and grateful for the lessons in hope and faith and most of all love, that they learned together.

With words and music by David Yazbek, who also did the musical The Full Monty, The Band’s Visit opened in Broadway in 2017. The show won a record of 10  Tony Awards, Best Musical, Best Book by Itamar Moses, Best Actor for Tony Shaloub of Monk fame, Best Actress for Katrina Lenk, Best Direction for David Kromer, Best Featured Actor for Ari’el Stachel, and also for the Orchestration, Sound Design and Lighting Design. 

Before the sweep at the Tonys happened, The Band’s Visit had already harvested quite a number of trophies from the Drama Desk Awards, the Outer Critics Circle, Theater World, the Obies, the New York Drama Critics Circle, etc. At first glance, all of those honors point to the fact that it is a very good play, albeit also intimidating to watch. And then I also thought, if it is a darling of the critics, then it must be a boring, high-brow snooze fest about the Arab-Israeli conflict. 

But then the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album came along. The simple show got a Grammy. So it must be good. The original cast recording of The Band’s Visit won over the other nominees, all of which are Broadway war horses which I must say are really formidable rivals. The revival of Carousel, the live Jesus Christ Superstar starring John Legend, Lerner & Lowe’s My Fair Lady and Once On this Island which features Lea Salonga. So, I had to listen to The Band’s Visit. I did and I got hooked.

The music of The Band’s Visit is absolutely enchanting. It is both old and new, Middle Eastern and Western, funny and steeped in pathos, sweet and goosey, all in all, a total delight. Do not look for hit tunes, these songs should not be taken out of context. Each of the cuts in the soundtrack serves its purpose, further the action and enhance the characters and situations. And how they do! from the aching yearning of the opener, Waiting by the denizens of Bet Hatikba to the anguished cry of The Telephone Man in the show-stopping Answer Me. 

How nice to finally be able to see and hear The Band’s Visit performed live out here and starring a brilliant cast. Leading the players are the great lady of the Philippine theater Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo as the mysterious Israeli café owner Dina; the Award-winning writer and actor Rody Vera as Colonel Tewfiq, the leader of the band; and the star of West End’s Here Lies Love, Mark Bautista as the Chet Baker loving Egyptian musician Haled. Watch out for his jazzy Haled’s Song About Love, a true masterpiece by Yazbek.

Also in the cast are Nino Alejandro, Bibo Reyes, Reb Atadero, Jill Pena, Floyd Tena, Maronne Cruz, Steven Conde, Rhenwyn Gabalonzo, Leanne Mamonong and Jep Go as The Telephone Guy, who gets the chance to sing the powerful ballad Answer Me.

I must say that Atlantis is off to a great start in 2020.