Spiderman News - Part 2

[kassandra]

I haven't heard the songs yet, but my guess is that even if we as U2/rock fans think the songs are good, it doesn't mean they're well-suited to a Broadway musical.

Frankly, as far as hearing about the musical itself, I'm more interested in the opinions of people who aren't already U2 fans. I'm relying on them to hear how good they are, and how well the songs work in the show.

Which isn't to say I'm not interested in hearing U2 fans' opinions, I just want to hear the more objective POV on the music.

Cori that is true. The score goes with the play and the action involved. I don't think all the songs would stand alone.

I am not a huge fan of plays. I've only seen less than a dozen in 20 years but his one caught my attention. Yes, the shoe scene was different and a weak part. I suppose it could be replaced with a better way to describe how vain arcane is.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

okay this big giant female spider went from some mythological creature from the past to a vein, imelda marcos/carrie bradshaw clone in one scene without any sort of explanation.

the arachne scenes are brutally bad. they're meandering, they have no direction, they make no sense. they are the biggest problem, by far, that i had with the show. the rest of the show ranged from "ok" to "awesome," with a few stinker songs here and there (coughcoughbullyingbynumberscoughcough)... but entertaining none the less. the arachne story line was a disaster.

 

[powerhour24]

Could it conceivably be cut from the show completely?

Though given the comments about reworking the show the producers seem to think that more of her is the answer .

 

[kassandra]

I thought the Arachne scenes were appropriate. Like stated before the shoes scene could change its a little over the top, but adds to the humor side of the show. I loved the bully scene/show and so did the audience, it got a huge applause. Maybe the show has changed since you saw it Headache.

There are some lines that are U2 related in a comical way. All in all I loved it.

 

[powerhour24]

Personally I kind of like the idea of mashing up the Greek myth with Pete's origin story, but even without seeing it the shoe thing make me cringe.

 

[kassandra]

Well separate its sounds crazy but all together its amazing, score, story, acting, stunts, effects, scenery all together = win.

Edit: If everyone is safe!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i saw it a week before you did. i saw the same show that you saw. the rewrites weren't/aren't scheduled to begin until bono & the edge return, so they haven't changed much at all between when i saw it and when you saw it.

you might have liked it i'm sure you're not alone. but the consensus seems to be that the second act, which is made up mostly of arachne scenes, is a meandering mess. i agree with the consensus.

 

[Irvine511]

the two guys i know who saw it preferred the second act, which i thought was weird since everyone else thinks that's the problem.

they generally thought that some of it was awesome, but that it had "huge problems." they, too, mentioned the (ohmygod) shoes scene as being really bad.

interesting to see what's going to happen with this.

 

[U2Fanatic4ever]

yeeaahhh ... although i want to be snarky and ask, "is Bono ok?" it does seem like this thing should be shut down.

i guess i'm rooting for this to come together and be great and for B&TE to win a bunch of Tonys or whatever because i'm a fan, obviously, and i want them to do good things. but it doesn't sound like they've done good work here, nor that they've even done a good thing here. actors shouldn't die, or be hospitalized. that's not all in a day's work. that's not an industry hazard. that's criminal.

shut it down. take the good songs and release a U2 album, or a B&TE stand-alone album, and be done with it. oh well, you tried.

let's not embarrass ourselves in middle-age with a shitty Broadway musical and (far worse) dead actors.

I am rooting for this too but agree that it should be shut down before things can get any worse.. People's health are more important.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

the irony of this is that it wasn't the flying or acrobatics that caused the injury... it was a rope that kept someone from falling off an edge that snapped, which probably could have happened at a number of other plays, but because it happened at this particular one that has already had so many issues, this just gets lumped in with the pile.

 

[powerhour24]

The actor's union has already called for it to be shut down in light of the latest injury.

 

[kassandra]

i saw it a week before you did. i saw the same show that you saw. the rewrites weren't/aren't scheduled to begin until bono & the edge return, so they haven't changed much at all between when i saw it and when you saw it.

you might have liked it i'm sure you're not alone. but the consensus seems to be that the second act, which is made up mostly of arachne scenes, is a meandering mess. i agree with the consensus.

I did like it.

Unfortunately I didn't get the last part of the show so I didn't see how it tied together. I was waiting for that.

 

[corianderstem]

The actor's union has already called for it to be shut down in light of the latest injury.

Shut down altogether, or just until they can investigate and fix? The things I've read made it sound like only the next performance (so far) was postponed.

I keep seeing the same news - do you have a link to an update that goes into more detail about the "shut down" bit?

Edit: just saw this come across from atU2

Actors' Equity, the New York Department of Labor, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the team at the Foxwoods Theatre have agreed upon new safety measures that will be enacted immediately after the fall of Christopher Tierney during last night's performance of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. The Wednesday matinee has been cancelled, but the evening show will go ahead as planned. While the show's official Twitter feed has been quiet all day, their official web site has been updated only with the information about the show going on. Spokesperson Rick Miramontez said that ticket holders who were at the show on Monday night will be personally contacted and offered a refund or exchange.

 

[JCOSTER]

I haven't seen it yet and was very skeptical from the very beginning the second beginning that is. After this latest accident, I think they should really call it quits maybe even push the opening further into the future until they get it right.

I also would like to see a comment from Bono and/or Edge.

If you were one of the actors in this show wouldn't you be a little scared of performing.??

 

[kassandra]

Shut down altogether, or just until they can investigate and fix? The things I've read made it sound like only the next performance (so far) was postponed.

I keep seeing the same news - do you have a link to an update that goes into more detail about the "shut down" bit?

Edit: just saw this come across from atU2

Actors' Equity, the New York Department of Labor, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the team at the Foxwoods Theatre have agreed upon new safety measures that will be enacted immediately after the fall of Christopher Tierney during last night's performance of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. The Wednesday matinee has been cancelled, but the evening show will go ahead as planned. While the show's official Twitter feed has been quiet all day, their official web site has been updated only with the information about the show going on. Spokesperson Rick Miramontez said that ticket holders who were at the show on Monday night will be personally contacted and offered a refund or exchange.

And the news just reported that it will not be reopened unless OSHA signs an approval.

 

[corianderstem]

It's interesting reading some comments/discussions on sites to see people talk about comparisons to other shows that have had numerous injuries in rehearsals, previews and performances. It's definitely not the first big show to have injuries, and those shows went on.

It's just piling on this danged show, with people dying (that producer guy), people leaving (Alan Cumming), producers coming and going ... heck, all that stuff is probably fairly common, but then add the high price tag and the injuries, and this thing is just ripe for schadenfreude and skepticism.

 

[Irvine511]

the heat is going to be thrown at Taymor and B&TE -- something to the effect of, "people are dying for their collective ego." etc.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

people leaving (Alan Cumming)

And Evan Rachel Wood.

Although the new Mary Jane is a cutie.

Hearing the reports that the guy fell down into the pit, and that people thought it was all part of the show until Mary Jane started screaming and calling for 911? That sounds like something out of a bad movie right there. Crazy shit. Glad to hear the guy is ok.

I still hope they can sort it all out and that the thing is a success. I'm not on the side of all the people in here calling for the show to be completely canceled and thrown out. I'm a huge U2 fan, dammit, and I want everything they do to be a success.

 

[mama cass]

i think some injuries are obviously to expected from certain Broadway shows - i.e. sprains and falls due to dancing, roller-skating etc., but these Spiderman injuries have mainly been due to technical failures and safety issues beyond the actors' control, which i find worrying...

i would also worry about the implications of audience members being injured - imagine if a cable snapped over the audience? i read a rumour today with someone claiming a girl in the audience had been injured by the snapped cable flicking her in the face - god knows if it's true or not... but i think the safety concerns are huge and Taymor should not take them lightly!

 

[corianderstem]

the heat is going to be thrown at Taymor and B&TE -- something to the effect of, "people are dying for their collective ego." etc.

Yeah, I'm starting to think you're right. Music aside, they've thrown a ton of money into this thing, so they're at least somewhat right in there with Taymor and whoever the other producers are.

I've been reading comments on a bunch of sites, and it doesn't look like Bono's getting mentioned very much in any kind of "shame on them" comments or comments about ego/hubris. From what I've seen so far, those have been directed at Taymor.

Bleah. I was kind of ambivalent about the project at first, but now I'm starting to worry about what this might mean for ... shit, I don't even know.

It's so slow at work this week that I'm spending way too much time reading/thinking about this.

 

[mama cass]

Glad to hear the guy is ok.

he's not really ok though - he's had several broken ribs and reports of "bleeding" and is said to be in a "serious but stable" condition... i don't know what exactly they mean by bleeding, but if they're trying to play down "internal bleeding" as opposed to bleeding from a wound, then that is incredibly serious stuff!

 

[corianderstem]

Reports on his injuries and current condition have been conflicting, to say the least.

 

[mama cass]

it was this article i read, Cori:

SPIDER-MAN's Tierney in Serious Condition; Broken Ribs, Bleeding and More 2010/12/21

BroadwayWorld has learned from several sources that SPIDER-MAN stuntman Christopher Tierney has suffered several broken ribs and bleeding after his nearly 30-foot free fall on the SPIDEY set last night. Fortunately, Tierney landed such that he avoided any crippling neck or spinal injury. He is still being held at the hospital in serious, but stable condition.

 

[corianderstem]

Ouch.

 

[medley]

Call me a fanboy but I'm starting to really love the score . Like many U2 songs -especially the ones that are quite surprising coming from them like here- you probably need to hear most of the songs few times to really appreciate them... Of course that's probably not well suited for a musical so I can understand some of the criticisms but there is probably enough material here for a fantastic album. I think they should release one to promote the show not necessarily a studio U2 album but just a live recording of the actual show and release Rise Above for example as a single. That could change some of the bad general reputation this show is getting and make people know at least some of the tunes.

Here is a little personal tracklist: Splash Page/BBN/No More/DIY/BOTW/RA/PTT/Walk Away/Think Again/ITWSE/BFFTS/LMOKM/"Interlude"

I really hope this won't be cancelled so much potential here... at least for the music.

 

[gvox]

Guys I've been away from the computer...but I have one question:

Is B.....??1111!?!?!11

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I really hope this won't be cancelled so much potential there... at least for the music.

Even if it's canceled, which I don't think it will be, I'm pretty sure we would eventually hear the songs in some recorded form. I wouldn't worry about that.

You would think, with all the reports of the show losing money and what not, they would want to squeeze as much milk out of this dying cow as they can. And an official soundtrack, with Bono and Edge's name on the front cover, would bring in some money.

 

[kassandra]

We just got an email asking us if we want a refund for the show or to book another night.

 

[Mountain Dew Ma]

I don't think the show should be cancelled in it's entirety. Postpone some shows until the safety is figured out, sure. That's important.

It's also important to know that I'm sure the actors and actresses know the risk involved too. The production, Taymor, Bono and Edge should not really be criticized for this. It's obviously unfortunate, but I'm sure when you sign up for a role when you're going to be flying around a theater, you have to know there's a chance things go wrong. Nobody is forcing these guys and gals to go flying around the theater.

/devils advocate.

 

[corianderstem]

True, and I'm sure that if any of them feel unsafe, they could go to their union to say something about it.

A lot of the criticism seems to boil down to how ambitious is too ambitious, spectacle-wise? Cirque du Soleil has been doing flying stuff for years, and (as far as we know) don't have performers injuring themselves. So it can be done - why reinvent the wheel to make this stuff work?

I thought the Gawker article from today was the most interesting as far as its overall criticisms of the show. It didn't read as just an over-the-top "THIS SHOW SUCKS", although obviously the guy just hated the show. I thought his points were interesting.

Anyway. We'll see!