Exclusive: Filmed The Band’s Visit Musical to Screen April 30
If you missed the limited run of London's The Band's Visit, starring Miri Mesika and Alon Moni Aboutboul, you might have a second chance to watch the intimate production that ran at the playhouse late last year. A filmed capture of the 2018 Best Musical winner will screen later this month at V&A South Kensington, for the very first time. The musical tells the story of an accidental encounter of two disparate cultures and features an eclectic score that blends classical Arabic music, Klezmer, and jazz. It won 10 Tony Awards on Broadway in 2018. In a turn of unfortunate events, the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra finds themselves stranded in a sleepy Israeli town. Strangers in a strange land, they are welcomed to nowhere by a company of locals and discover that that which unites them is greater than any social or political divide. Music and lyrics are by David Yazbek, with a book by Itamar Moses that is based on the 2007 Israeli film of the same name. This production was directed by Michael Longhurst at the Donmar Warehouse, London, and played there for a short sold-out run in September 2022. The filmed capture was recorded live by the V&A in November 2022 at the Donmar Warehouse and this will be the first time it is being made available for public viewing. Interested theatergoers can watch the film on Sunday, April 30 2023 at 1:45PM at V&A South Kensington (Cromwell Road London, SW7 2RL). The film will screen for free at the Hochhauser Auditorium, and there is no registration needed. The film runs for 1 hour and 44 minutes. There are currently no details on future screenings of the film, however, when V&A East opens in 2024 the recording is expected to be made available for the public in the new facility. Established in 1992, the NVAP archive now holds over 450 high-quality archival multi-camera recordings of live performances in Britain and continues to record and preserve productions for the national collection. The archive features a vast range of stage performances with work by notable playwrights, directors, set designers, lighting designers and actors. In his review for The Guardian, David Jays said: "Even scene changes thrum with character in Michael Longhurst’s open-hearted production. I loved spending time with his poker-faced cast, masters of shrug and eye roll. They include Michal Horowicz’s miserable wife, too worn down to sing, Marc Antolin’s drifting manboy, Sargon Yelda’s attentive composer and Ashley Margolis, waiting by the phone like a lonesome muppet. The smallest things can lift them. A doleful waiter (Harel Glazer), easily panicked by women, gets romantic advice at the roller disco. A tearful baby is soothed by a clarinet lullaby. This unexpected night may not change lives forever – but it helps people face a new day."