The Band’s Visit - Donmar

[Being Alive]

Nov 2, 2022 10:07:30 GMT ThereWillBeSun said:

Wasn't a fan of this in New York but hoping revisiting it later this week (excuse the pun) will perhaps change my mind?! I've noticed they are doing digital programmes for £3 ... not physical ones anymore? The Donmar programmes are such a strange shape usually!

They have the odd shaped programmes now at £5!

[juicy_but_terribly_drab]

Nov 2, 2022 10:07:30 GMT ThereWillBeSun said:

Wasn't a fan of this in New York but hoping revisiting it later this week (excuse the pun) will perhaps change my mind?! I've noticed they are doing digital programmes for £3 ... not physical ones anymore? The Donmar programmes are such a strange shape usually!

There are physical ones too unless they've run out.

[ThereWillBeSun]

Thanks ^ I bought my tote bag to accommodate ;-)

So bearing in mind I absolutely loathed the New York production... this was literally like another show. I just came away feeling uplifted and not down?! MIRI MESIKA WAS WONDERFUL. I personally thought, more nuanced and captivating than Lenk (I KNOW we shouldn't compare but I just preferred her interpretation more - she had a lot more warmth. I'd be interested to see EMMA KINGSTON in the same role but obvs it's sold out and can't rely on returns as my diary is packed enough.

I'm very happy - easily one of the best shows I've seen in a long time as been quite underwhelmed generally!

[blobble84]

I had a second trip to this yesterday (third including Broadway) and I love it even more each time. But, last night’s audience were terrible. People talking to each other throughout, using their phones, and one guy in front kept taking photos in every scene - even when the person next to him told him to stop, he didn’t. Time to start having phones sealed in those pouches?!?

[ThereWillBeSun]

Nov 6, 2022 11:03:18 GMT blobble84 said:

I had a second trip to this yesterday (third including Broadway) and I love it even more each time. But, last night’s audience were terrible. People talking to each other throughout, using their phones, and one guy in front kept taking photos in every scene - even when the person next to him told him to stop, he didn’t. Time to start having phones sealed in those pouches?!?

I have a very disruptive audience member in the circle on Thursday for EXACTLY the same reason; kept getting her phone out to take photos during the latter part of the show.

No idea why the FOH didn't do anything as she was standing and they could have easily told her to refrain!

I agree; they need to do a Punchdrunk!

[BurlyBeaR]

Nov 6, 2022 11:03:18 GMT blobble84 said:

I had a second trip to this yesterday (third including Broadway) and I love it even more each time. But, last night’s audience were terrible. People talking to each other throughout, using their phones, and one guy in front kept taking photos in every scene - even when the person next to him told him to stop, he didn’t. Time to start having phones sealed in those pouches?!?

I don’t think we should punish the whole class when one kid misbehaves. For the 95% of people who respect the rules why should we have our phones confiscated? Deal with the oiks who break the rules firmly so that people get the message. 

[LaLuPone]

Agreed, also theatre’s struggling enough as it is in this climate without putting more people off even coming!

[blobble84]

I'm not suggesting confiscating phones. I saw 'Take Me Out' on Broadway earlier in the year and when I went into the auditorium, my phone was placed into a case and sealed shut. The phone was with me at all times and during the interval it took less than a second to open the pouch with an usher, and then it was sealed again before going back in.

[cezbear]

Nov 6, 2022 21:37:10 GMT blobble84 said:

I'm not suggesting confiscating phones. I saw 'Take Me Out' on Broadway earlier in the year and when I went into the auditorium, my phone was placed into a case and sealed shut. The phone was with me at all times and during the interval it took less than a second to open the pouch with an usher, and then it was sealed again before going back in.

I get the intent, I guess, but I 100% would not be attending a show that treats me like a child in this way. It's like being at school, having to go visit an usher to get access to my own phone again.
My phone has never ever gone off in a theatre, nor have I ever felt the urge to so much as glance at it during a show. Every time someone near me is being obnoxious with a phone I'd quite like to swing them round by their ankles and lob them out of the auditorium. But I'm still not ok with the idea of sealing my phone up like a (potentially) naughty schoolkid.

[BurlyBeaR]

Nov 6, 2022 21:37:10 GMT blobble84 said:

I'm not suggesting confiscating phones. I saw 'Take Me Out' on Broadway earlier in the year and when I went into the auditorium, my phone was placed into a case and sealed shut. The phone was with me at all times and during the interval it took less than a second to open the pouch with an usher, and then it was sealed again before going back in.

still a no for me. Placing your property in a locked case is confiscation. What next? Your wallet? Your keys? Theatres need to employ and train effective FOH to handle the miscreants without punishing the rest of the audience. 

[hadeswasking]

I feel like it was justified for 'Take Me Out' due to the nudity. For most other shows not so much...

[marob]

The fact that a very naked Jesse Williams was all over twitter a few months back suggests that doesn’t work either.

[BurlyBeaR]

It’s a completely topsy turvy way of dealing with this problem. They cant or won’t empower their FOH to deal with these problems, so they try to apply blanket control over everyone. It’s the epitome of weak management.
I’ve said this before. If you can’t train or rely on FOH to do the necessary, employ one FOH with a security background who is going to be “bad cop” for the entire house. Hook them up on radio and let them at it.

[inthenose]

I hate weak management. Whether it’s in a theatre, at work, or online.

Everyone has a manager they hate and everyone talks about behind their back. Then loads of people leave at once because the manager gets too big for their boots and surrounds themselves with pandering friends.

Then they make a new company doing the same thing, and everyone goes with them.

Then they wonder where their workforce has gone.

[Deleted]

Let's not pretend there isn't some level of disturbance when FOH confronts patrons to stop using their phones. I've had FOH disturb my attendance shooting lasers from the aisle at a patron next to me, loudly whispering/speaking from the end of the aisle to get someone's attention, and at worst, crawling into our aisle to eject an audience member who would not comply.

[blobble84]

I don’t see how FOH would have spotted someone discreetly holding up a phone in the middle of the back row at the Donmar. Or how they would have got their attention to reprimand them mid-scene / mid-song, without causing a lot of disturbance or stopping the show.

[inthenose]

Nov 7, 2022 19:27:04 GMT blobble84 said:

I don’t see how FOH would have spotted someone discreetly holding up a phone in the middle of the back row at the Donmar. Or how they would have got their attention to reprimand them mid-scene / mid-song, without causing a lot of disturbance or stopping the show.

From experience there are three main types of FOH;

Elderly volunteers who go for companionship, to stay active and have evenings out

Younger stagey types (resting, new grads, trainees, wannabes)

Bitter sods who are jobsworths.


I’m so glad I don’t have to deal with FOH nonsense, it’s bad enough speaking to a stuck up FOH manager a few times a night on cans.

[TallPaul]

On behalf of viserys, I've changed the wording on her Noticeboard post. She has kindly made her ticket for 28 November available to all comers, rather than just those who may benefit from captions. Please have a read and contact directly if interested.

[stevemar]

Very good and enjoyable. Talented cast, particularly Miri Mesika. Yes, not much happens in terms of action and my personal preference would be to see more, but that was the beauty of it. The band were great. 8/10

[AddisonMizner]

I’ve been to today’s matinee. I had followed the show online when it initially opened in New York, and had listened to the cast recording. I was excited when it was announced for the Donmar and knew that I had to book.

Not much happens in terms of plot - that most certainly is true. However, a lot happens in terms of character development and relationships, and the book does an excellent job of unveiling these to the audience. The use of silence, movement, gesture and the unsaid is also stunning, and rare in a musical.

It is a quietly beautiful and moving show. I had shivers down my spine and tears in my eyes at various points (‘The Beat of Your Heart’, ‘Omar Sharif’, ‘Answer Me’ and some of the book scenes instantly spring to mind). It deals with very similar themes to that of COME FROM AWAY (although that show packs a much bigger emotional punch in my opinion) - ultimately looking at the idea of connection.

What also struck me was how funny the show was, which I was not expecting. I did laugh out loud at times.

The cast did a uniformly excellent job, and the band were stunning. I also enjoyed the direction.

I need to seek out the film now.

4 stars

[thistimetomorrow]

I adored this so much. I hadn't heard any of the songs before and only had the vaguest idea of the plot. Very interesting to see Harel Glazer as Papi and Yali Topol Margalith as Anna having seen them both in their 3rd year shows at RAM and Mountview respectively.

[dlevi]

What a beautiful quiet exquisitely performed musical this is. Pretty much the entire audience were wiping away tears by the end of the show. I fear that the show is too special for a transfer, so if you can get a ticket while its at the Donmar do so!

[showgirl]

Will probably have to give up my evening ticket - which I booked only because that's all I could get at an affordable price -as since I've known the running time I've been trying in vain for a return for a matinee instead. All the theatre staff could suggest was trying for the "Donmar Daily Release" at 10 am but apparently they only have 4 tix per performance under that scheme and most days I can't even get online at 10 am; plus it needs to be on the same day of the week as when you hope to attend. I know they'd give me a credit and re-sell the seat in a flash but I want to see this!

[rpvee]

Hi everyone! Brand new to the site. This show is the only musical I’ve ever truly become a huge fan of, and I saw the original version 82 times between Broadway and the North American Tour. I’m traveling to London (for the first time!) to see this exciting new version as many times as I can during its final week. I have tickets for many of the dates, but there are a few I’m still keeping an eye out for (via cancellations, weekly release, etc.). If anyone has a ticket to any of these dates that they can’t use anymore, please let me know!

11/30
12/1 (both performances)
12/2
12/3 (evening/final performance)

So very excited to see London and a brand new imagining of a show that’s grown so dear to my heart, and I’m looking forward to discussing it with everyone here!

[TheOneOnTheLeft]

This production is just sublime and was the absolute highlight of my recent London trip. Simply perfect in every possible way, I would love a transfer on the one hand, just to give it a lengthier run, but on the other I fear that much of the appeal would be lost in a less intimate setting.
Every actor (and/or musician) seemed to be the perfect choice for their role and every little nuance was played out by the whole cast. The direction is so rich in small (und seemingly unimportant) details.
I had to literally force myself to listen to the OBC recording, feeling the music was bland (and too derivative of Women on the Verge), but on stage it magically worked its charm. This is really a must-see in my opinion. (5 stars for me, in case anybody wondered.)