Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark

[cyberjudge]

I attended the initial performance of Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark on Broadway this past Sunday (the official premiere is slated for January 11, 2011). Here's the inside scoop according to CJ -- good, bad and ugly:

The show billed itself as the highest flying in Broadway and in that regard, it didn't disappoint. Spidey and the Green Goblin soared high over the orchestra with all the acrobatics you'd expect from Cirque du Soleil. I was in the front row mezzanine (nicknamed the "Flying Circle") and at times the actors were literally flying directly at us. The lazer light and video screen special effects were also spectacular, although at times it seemed more like a rock concert than a Broadway show.

The technical complexity of the show, however, led to 5 stoppages (4 in Act I), including the end of Act I where Spiderman was stuck suspended from a wire directly above the audience. Ironically, this led to perhaps the most humorous moment of the evening, as stage crew members got on the stage and tried to grab Spiderman's legs as he swung back and forth like a human pendulum.

The plot was interesting, if not gripping. Act I centered on the origins of Spiderman and the Green Goblin, with some passing similarities to those characters' evolution in the comic books and the Tobey Maguire film series. One main change was that Uncle Ben's death was not the result of Peter Parker's inaction, whereas in both the comic and the film, Peter's guilt over indirectly causing Ben's death was the driving force behind his crime-fighting. Act II focused upon a new character, Arachne, adapted from Greek mythology, who bestowed Spiderman's costume on him and then took revenge when Spiderman tossed his suit in a trash can (a scene reminiscent of Amazing Spider-Man #50 and Spider-Man 2). Reeve Carney's performance as Spiderman was not nearly as dynamic as Maguire's, but the villains, particularly the Green Goblin and Arachne provided more than enough excitement.

The music (written by Bono and the Edge) was listenable, but hardly memorable. The songs failed to carry the plot line, at times seeming more like interruptions to the story, rather than part of it. The songs themselves were okay, but not up to the caliber of U2's own music.

Overall, the performance was enjoyable, even despite the glitches, which I expect will be worked out in the next month or so. I recommend it for anyone planning a trip to New York (but sit in the mezzanine, so you don't have to crane your necks looking up at the actors flying above).

[MindCrime]

Sounds interesting and accurate to what i would expect

[MuzikTyme]

Musical interlude:

Is he strong?

Listen, bud

He's got

Radioactive blood!

Hey, there!

There goes the

Spider-Man

(F♯, minor, D♭, major)

Unlike Linus and Lucy which everyone knows started in Aâ™­major.

Just in time for the holidays

[RyanTurtle]

Musical interlude:

Is he strong?

Listen, bud

He's got

Radioactive blood!

Hey, there!

There goes the

Spider-Man

(F♯, minor, D♭, major)

Unlike Linus and Lucy which everyone knows started in Aâ™­major.

Just in time for the holidays

My old band used to do a cover of that song!