An independent show guide not a venue or show. All tickets 100% guaranteed, some are resale, prices may be above face value. We're an independent show guide not a venue or show. We sell primary, discount and resale tickets, all 100% guaranteed prices may be above face value. We are an independent show guide not a venue or show. We sell primary, discount and resale tickets, all 100% guaranteed and they may be priced above or below face value.

The Band's Visit Reviews

Broadway ShowsMusicalsTony WinnersTony NomineesCritics Picks

Average customer review: 2.0 star rating (2.0 Stars)

Number of reviews: 46

Page:1234567All

Sort:

5.0 star rating from Toronto, Ontario

BRILLIANT

This was a beautiful, don't listen to people calling it boring. It's thoughtful, moving, extremely well acted, and has great music. A must see.

5.0 star rating APT from Toronto, Ontario

BRILLIANT

This is not your everyday traditional "mainstream" musical (e.g. cats, phantom, Les mis) and will likely not have the same mass people. BUT... This is a work of art where silence on stage is golden and there is nuance with each move. The music is beautiful and the acting phenomenal. A must see for lovers of all things broadway. My only critic is the the Mirvish theatre where, once again, I felt the sound was muffled. Wish they would deal with this given the ticket prices

5.0 star rating Eli from Cleveland, Ohio

BEAUTIFUL AND NOT NEEDING THE FLASHY STUFF

If you want explosions and Disney, look elsewhere. If you want something beautiful that speaks to the heart gently and passionately, go see this show.

5.0 star rating SusieO from Dallas, Texas

DELIGHTFUL!

I loved this! I left feeling refreshed and happy.

5.0 star rating EJ Chachee from Dallas TX

ACCIDENTAL BEAUTY

Simple miscommunication leads a band to a small town where laughter is shared, music is played and hearts are explored. Beautiful things happen when you sit with strangers and share hearts. Dina (Janet Dacal) couldn’t be more gorgeous. Papi and Haled contrast very well and go from hysterical to smooth in an instant. Phone guy hits his note and do not leave after the bow!!!! Bought the cd and met cast at stage door. Beautiful people. Thank you!

5.0 star rating EJ from St. Louis, Missouri

STARS ALL SHINE

We've all gotten directions mixed up and unexpected hospitality is always a delight. This happens! Lots of laughs and truths. A band absorbed by strangers and a town changed by the band. Dina and Haled shine !!! Popi - love your song! Even Sasson has a tune!!! LOVED IT !!! Bought the CD - not the current cast tho just FYI.

5.0 star rating Emily from Las Vegas, Nevada

REFRESHING CHANGE OF PACE

Incredible music. Interesting story and timeline. I would love to see this show again in a much more intimate theater. This definitely not to the best show to see from the balcony of a huge theater, which is where I saw it from. I will agree the pacing of this show was slower, but that was part of the point, it’s realism, which we don’t often see in musicals and I loved it. I found it very refreshing and hopeful and uplifting. I can’t get enough of the soundtrack and am chomping at the bit for it to come to a small, intimate theater near me.

5.0 star rating Simon from Tucson, Arizona

AMAZING

I was pulled into the lives and loves of the various small town characters. I felt the lonesomeness and pain and saw the struggle as each just tries to find some happiness in their existence. And the band can play.

4.0 star rating Lauren Blatt from Toronto, Ontario

I LOVED THE BAND’S VISIT

What drew me to this musical is the beautiful score and clever lyrics . The story is about people from different cultures communicating and helping each other . It’s an uplifting story . The cast is excellent. If you only like “razz a matazz” musicals , this is not for you . If you can appreciate a story about people and beautiful music , you will love it .

4.0 star rating Mary FJ from Minneapolis, Minnesota

BEAUTIFUL SIMPLY

No, this does not deliver at breakneck social media speed. You wait, you listen, you watch. And then it delivers. Laughs, sweetness, hauntingly beautiful music, and being transported to another facet of life. Slow down, relax and enjoy!

4.0 star rating Gail A. from Dallas, Texas

REALLY REFRESHING AND BEAUTIFUL

I totally enjoyed this musical. The story was deep and sweet, while simple. The music was the best. It was so surprising to hear something really different, not just the same old, same old. The middle eastern flavor, combined with classic American pop, was really fun. The musicians, singers and actors were all high quality. No, this is not constant excitement , overdone and flashy, but it was soothing and definitely entertaining. Thanks for a terrific night of theater!

2.0 star rating TWD from Louisville, Kentucky

WORST MUSICAL EVER

Last night's performance was the first Broadway Series show I have ever walked out on because it was so boring.

2.0 star rating from Buffalo, New York

COULD UNDERSTAND EVERY 10TH WORD

Beautiful music, but largely unintelligible lyrics and dialogue, despite having front/center seats. Everyone afterwards asking what the play was about. Worst experience we’ve had in the many years we’ve subscribed. Disappointing.

2.0 star rating Eileen Driscoll from Saw at The Bushnell in Hartford, CT

I WISH I COULD HAVE REALLY LIKED IT, BUT I REALLY DIDN'T.

Have read the reviews before writing this, just to be sure I was in my right mind. The performers were very talented, but the plot lacked something. The accents were very thick, so the dialogue was somewhat difficult to understand in a number of places. Not sure why it got all the awards it got, except that there were Egyptians and Jews sharing the good side of humanity. I certainly wouldn't encourage anyone to spend big bucks on it. As another reviewer stated, the last 5 minutes were the best.

2.0 star rating Hk from Portland, Oregon

SLOW MOVING, HARD TO UNDERSTAND, BORING

Was excited to go to the theater. Always lovely to see a show and be taken to another place for a short amount of time. Unfortunately, this was not able to capture me nor keep my engagement. Spent most my time trying to understand what they were saying. Was waiting to see how the band changed this place….but I just didn’t see that.

2.0 star rating Tamryn N. from Portland, Oregon

THE BAND'S VISIT

This would have been my first theatre production for me to "leave early".... If I had been driving, I would have left with in 45 min. There is talent in this production, great voices, talented musicians for sure. The story line was soooo slow, and so unconnected & hard to follow. Our group of 4 felt the same way.. we got outside and we all said "that was the worst show we have experienced!"

1.0 star rating Very Dissapointed from Toronto, Ontario

BORING. PERIOD

I have no idea how this show managed to win ANY awards. You keep waiting for something to happen... But nothing ever does. The ONLY enjoyable part was the last 5 minutes when the Band FINALLY plays!! Why, oh why wasn't there more of the Band?? Do not waste your theatre dollars on this boring show!

1.0 star rating Kk from Toronto, Ontario

NOT MY TYPE

very slow paced. not interesting at all. Can't compare to Come From Away which is way more uplifting.

1.0 star rating Richard from Stouffville

SLOW, TEDIOUS, BORING

I found this play to be the worst I have ever seen. I wish that there had been an intermission so I could leave but I had to get up and walk out during the performance ; it was that bad.

1.0 star rating Ashley from Toronto, Ontario

DISAPPOINTING

I really wanted to like this and enjoyed the general premise of the play but for a musical there just wasn't enough big numbers for me. Especially for a musical about A BAND! I was in the nosebleed seats and I felt so lost the whole way through, I couldn't really make out what the actors were saying and I couldn't feel any sort of intimacy surrounding their interactions. None of the characters were likeable and I really just didn't care about what happened with them by the end. When they finally broke out into a big number I thought it was the intermission until I realised it was the end!! Feels like something that would have been better in a smaller, more intimate venue or maybe Toronto missed the mark with the execution.

1.0 star rating Ian Lawrence from Toronto, Ontario

THE BANDS VISIT

No redeeming features. Sadly, no intermission making it more difficult to leave early.

1.0 star rating MM from Innisfil Ontario

THE BAND’S VISIT

Wish I had the two hours back, instead of wasting my time sitting at a Mirvish theatre today. This was awful. Have never left the theatre for any production yet, had there been an intermission I would have. I really can’t justify giving 1 star. But it seems I cannot give it a zero

1.0 star rating Lesley Moore from Toronto, Ontario

WORST PLAY EVER

This is a bad play. It’s been a very long time since I saw such a bad play at Mirvish. I couldn’t believe they charged me money to see it. I realized why they didn’t have an intermission. It was so I couldn’t walk out. My friend wanted to climb over the seats to get out as she was trapped in her seat in the middle of the row. The characters were not interesting and there were long silences as if they had forgotten the words. On the other hand, there were 6 of us saw this show, and 3 of us hated it and 3 loved it. I think you either love this play or hated it, nothing inbetween.

1.0 star rating JPKoko from Toronto, Ontario

ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE!

I cannot understand how this production won awards. It’s horrible. It’s 20 minutes of dialogue stretched out over 95 minutes. The pregnant pauses when delivering lines were big enough to drive a truck through. I kept thinking the performers forgot their lines. A couple of good songs and a neat revolving stage were the only highlights. The script and the directing killed it. Do not see this. If you do, remember, I told you so ....

1.0 star rating Geoff and Sharon from Toronto, Ontario

THE BANDS VISIT: THE BANDS 2 HOUR TORTURE

I love the theatre but this show was just plain boring.. Should be a choice for 0 Stars. It did not engage the audience in any way. Many people left half way and we would have too but we were waiting for half time (which didn't happen). Suffice to say the Show Memorabilia stand, selling T shirts, Hats and programs did NOT have a line up If you are an insomniac and need to find a cure, see this show.

1.0 star rating from Toronto, Ontario

TEDIOUS

A part of the definition of "tedious" is "too long". It wasn't very long, it just seemed that way. Tiresome and monotonous are bang on though. The pregnant pauses were too pregnant, I couldn't identify with any of the characters. The story has potential, but unfortunately that potential was never fulfilled. Difficult to hear, a smaller venue may have been more appropriate.

1.0 star rating from Toronto, Ontario

HORRENDOUS.

Never seen such a slow paced musical with so many long breaks of silence and awkward meaningless dialogue. The singers were quite good but goodness gracious, the script was absolutely awful. Having never been to a bad musical before, I was skeptical of the reviews I've read here prior to going. After having experienced it, I wish I would've taken everyone's advice here. Would not recommend.

1.0 star rating Nikki Gauthier from Toronto, Ontario

THE BAND'S VISIT

Sadly did not get anything out of this play/musical. So many still moments, delayed dialogue, like dead wood. Had a few chuckles here and there but this play does not maintain any type of momentum whatsoever. One main plot with three subplots. Difficult to connect with any one character. Three different languages spoken but I can't stay that this deterred the likability for me - LOVED the band at the end and what a shame they did not play more. Actors not faulted here, the storyline lacks serious development.

1.0 star rating Alina from Toronto, Ontario

SUPER-SUPER BORING SHOW

Do not recommend this show. No plot, very boring, slow. I am very sad to spend my time for this. Please spend some time with your family or your close people instead of this play.My expectations were so high and at the end I am so frustrated.Only one thing Band played very nice at the end of the show.

1.0 star rating Cynthia from Milwaukee, Wisconsin

BORING

We are season ticket holders. Sadly, this was a sleeper. I was looking forward to it since I studied in Israel. It was a waste of my money.

1.0 star rating Francisco Scaramanga from Schenectady, New York

THE BANDS VISIT TERRIBLE

That was the worst play I’ve ever seen. Six of us left after 30 minutes. Could not understand a word they said. Super slow and boring. Don’t waste your money.

1.0 star rating Abbey Cash from Schenectady, New York

THE BAND'S VISIT

There was a very limited story embraced by very limited acting, and very limited music. It should be re-titled "The Emperor's New Clothes" - then people would know what to expect. I came in support and left in disappointment! The story was meaningless and ill communicated - too bad!

1.0 star rating from

THE WORST IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH A WORD.

I was able to get a last minute seat for $30. I over paid $29.99. Two hours of fingernails over glass would have been much better. The best part of the evening is when I used the toilet. Oh my God-this musical won awards? Who voted-Helen Keller? Open heart surgery without anesthetic would have made a better evening. I support Palestinian rights but I almost wished the band would have been Palestinian rather than Egyptian so the Israelis could murder them and I could leave after 10 minutes.

1.0 star rating Charlie Green from St. Louis, Missouri

AWFUL, BORING, WORST SHOW EVER AT THE FOX

Very slow (Actors even walked in slow motion), very hard to understand with the thick Egyptian and Israeli accents , boring, not much singing, no dancing. Only show I attended at the Fox where there was no ovation at the end of the play. Everyone around us, and I mean everyone, had the same review. Even the people walking out of the show and the people walking to the car all had the same opinion.

1.0 star rating Season Ticket Holder from Des Moines, Iowa

THE BAND'S VISIT

Terrible!!! Started half hour late and ran over the 1 1/2 hr time slot. Actors forgot their lines! Whoever ran the stage lights were having trouble. Switched on the backstage lights at one point in play and then finally turned them off. Lite up the right side wall in the room where the audience sat. Guess lights were not turned into position correctly. There was a remote control device behind one stage prop that was not suppose to be seen and they quickly ran it behind the backdrop to hide it in that scene. Mics were not turned on fast enough to catch the actor's lines. A high school play is like "Broadway" compared to this amateur production. Finally gave up on it getting better and left before the end. Walked out!

1.0 star rating Ed from Chicago, Illinois

I’VE BEEN TO OVER 100 BROADWAY SHOWS

This is absolutely the top of the list… if you turn the page upside down. Dreadful.

1.0 star rating Debbie Hal from Los Angeles, California

POORLY WRITTEN AND ACTED

The music was good. The story line weak. The acting does not meet the quality of high school performances. Very slow with a lot of uncomfortable silence. I wasn’t sure if the actors forgot their lines. For what I paid for this so called professional performance was not worth it.

1.0 star rating KHK from Portland, Oregon

PERPLEXKNG

Great set, nice music. And the review ends there. If you don’t have anything nice to say…. Fortunately we read the synopsis before the show or would have no idea what the hell was going on. It wasn’t the lack of theatrics, it was just a sleeper.

1.0 star rating Alyson Lindahl from Chicago, Illinois

AWKWARD

Waited and waited for this play to start! First play I walked out of.

1.0 star rating Seen thousands of plays. from Tucson, Arizona

IT WON AN AWARD FOR WHAT?

Awkward, boring and endless. Have a nice dinner somewhere, instead.

1.0 star rating Kathryn Smith from San Diego, California

S-L-O-W

I am an avid Globe and Opera go-er and I have to say this is the slowest, most boring (save for the final number) play I have ever seen. Besides being slow, I only chuckled one time and checked my watch for the rest. Grammer school writting. Luckily they FINALLY had an uplifting number at the end.

1.0 star rating Nicole from Seattle, Washington

THE BAND'S VISIT IS TERRIBLE

95 minutes I would've rather spent doing my taxes. Nearly impossible to understand, utterly boring and frankly, a complete waste of time and money. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement.

1.0 star rating Jeremy from Seattle, Washington

DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME

No plot, very little music, can barely understand 80% of what’s being said. Left the theatre laughing at how awful it was. Overheard one person leaving say “what in the world did I just pay to watch?” And I think that sums it up quite well.

1.0 star rating Mike from Cincinnati, Ohio

HARD TO UNDERSTAN

The show starts with a blank curtain with words providing the background to the story. They should have kept it in place to provide closed captioning throughout. I understood maybe 20% of the dialogue and absolutely none of the song lyrics. The accents are very heavy. There is no plot, the punchlines are not amusing, and the characters lack depth. The relationship between Dina and Tawfiq had no time to develop.

1.0 star rating Luc Z from Cincinnati, OH

HAD HIGH HOPES

I really wanted to like this as it was billed as a non musical but it moved slowly, and dialogue was difficult to understand Even before the play, they flashed up some text and gave us a spoiler that said “you never heard of this event as it wasn’t that important” They were right

1.0 star rating Alona I. from Richmond, Virginia

DREADFULLY BORING AND UNINTELLIGENT.

This play shattered my expectations during the first 10 minutes. It was unintelligent. It was highly biased in the way it juxtaposed Israelis and Egyptians. It was, at times, vulgar. Above all, it was so dreadfully boring! A few families left the show within the first 20 minutes. We lasted until the end ONLY out of respect for the performers. The audience was not responsive to the events on stage. With the exception of a few patrons, the audience seemed very bored. We did not enjoy this show.

Page:1234567All

What you thought

Seen The Band's Visit? Loved it? Hated it?

Help your fellow Dayton Theatre visitors by leaving the first review. Everyone will love you for it, we promise!

Write a review now

What we thought

BEAUTIFUL moving Unexpected

Just as song might sweep you away into an unexpected mood so too does Tewfiq's band as their music infiltrates into the lives of these people - and the audience!

Our Broadway reviewer Nicola Quinn saw The Band's Visit in New York City - here's what she thought! "One of my favorite things to do is step into a cinema or theatre having no idea about the narrative that is about to unfold or the "word on the street".

Read full review
Nicola Quinn

Nicola Quinn

Nearby

Venue home

Venue home

location

Location

Additional Information

seating chart
SeatingSeating map

Spread the word

Sound good to you? Share this page on social media and let your friends know about The Band's Visit at Mead Theater.

Keep up to date

I want email news and updates for events in my area! Read how we protect your data.

Please note: The term Mead Theater and/or The Band's Visit as well as all associated graphics, logos, and/or other trademarks, tradenames or copyrights are the property of the Mead Theater and/or The Band's Visit and are used herein for factual descriptive purposes only. We are in no way associated with or authorized by the Mead Theater and/or The Band's Visit and neither that entity nor any of its affiliates have licensed or endorsed us to sell tickets, goods and or services in conjunction with their events.