The opening of “The Band’s Visit” at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, after a triumphant off-Broadway run last spring, is very good news for many reasons. At its best, theater helps us fill a deep-seeded need, and in these daunting times it is hard to imagine a theatergoer who will not find solace and happiness in the exquisitely rendered serenade to our shared humanity that is “The Band’s Visit.”
Faithfully based on the 2007 film of the same title, the show features a surprising and witty book by Itamar Moses and a hauntingly melodic score infused with regional world music by David Yazbek, who also wrote the smart lyrics. His uncanny way with words and music reflect and amplify the tone and mood of the story throughout.
