John Simon Weighs In On SPIDER-MAN Pre-Review Debacle

Theatre critic-turned-blogger John Simon has published his thoughts on the SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK review debacle.

Critics Linda Winer (Newsday) and Jeremy Gerard (Bloomberg News) suprisingly wrote reviews for SPIDER-MAN:TURN OFF THE DARK five weeks before the much delayed opening night. Now, theatre critic turned blogger John Simon has published his thoughts on the review debacle. Simon takes issue with the notion of 'pre-reviewing' performances, “Under ordinary circumstances this would be highly unethical: like grabbing a dish from a restaurant kitchen before it is fully cooked, and then judging the meal by it.”Simon adds, "If the idea is that critics are to be part of the process of helping a troubled show, perhaps they could be invited to the preview performance and make oral comments to the artists.  When Kiss of the Spiderwoman was trying out at New Musicals and was prematurely reviewed in the New York Times and elsewhere, I went up to see it but didn’t write about it—rather, I spoke with the producer Marty Bell about what I liked and didn’t like." To read John Simon's full post, click here.In Mid-November, it was announced that critic John Simon had been let go from Bloomberg Media, who hired him in 2005 after he was let go from New York Magazine after 36 years. He is also reportedly joining both the Yonkers Tribune and the Westchester Guardian.  Simon recently launched a new website, johnsimon-uncensored.com, where he muses about the state of arts and culture.John Simon is a Serbian-American author and literary, theater, and film critic. He has been a regular contributor to a number of magazines, including "The New Leader," "The New Criterion," and "National Review." Although not a native English speaker, he is known for his incisive criticism on the use of the language in American writing, notably in his book "Paradigms Lost: Reflections on Literacy and Its Decline," and was one of the guests on the PBS special "Do You Speak American?" Simon was theater critic at "New York Magazine" for more than 36 years, from October 1968 until he was fired in May 2005. Since June 2005 Simon has reviewed theater for BloombergNews.com. He also contributes a monthly essay to "The Weekly Standard."According to the Hollywood Reporter, the SPIDER-MAN team has finally weighed in on the controversial early reviews published by Newsday and Bloomberg News last week. Critics form both publications, Linda Winer and Jeremy Gerard suprisingly wrote reviews for SPIDER-MAN:TURN OFF THE DARK five weeks before the much delayed openning night.Spidey spokesperson Rick Miramontez said, "For a major critic to review a Broadway musical, or play for that matter, after only the twentieth preview, is disappointing and uncalled for. Whatever reason the critic or their editor may have, it does not mask the fact that for decades, musicals have developed in front of paying audiences before critics are INVITED." He continued, "While we are certainly not naive about the media scrutiny attached to this production, as we have been accommodating throughout, this unprecedented new development is troubling, to say the least."Linda Winer's early review for Newsday stated, "After four premiere push-backs (now to Feb. 7), four high-profile injuries, 19 previews at full price ($75-$150, almost double through brokers), and public investigations by state and federal safety agencies, it seems that critics are now the only interested parties who can't see the bride before the wedding."Bloomberg News' Jeremy Gerard wrote, "I was attending "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark," the $65- million show that has been previewing for a month and is expecting critics to wait until Feb. 7 before weighing in. This, while asking full price for tickets (my orchestra seat cost $292.50 and it wasn't from a scalper) and having begun performances before a complete second act had even been written."

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