I just got back from a trip to NY and took my 7 year old to see Spiderman. I'm no critic, but just someone who really enjoys musicals and I've seen my fair share. Now, although it isn't the best score, I quite enjoyed Spiderman. The flying effects were really cool and they did a great job with costumes and telling the story...and the last scene with the sky view was really well done. It was a full house. So I'm wondering if Spiderman is still getting bad reviews (and if so, why) or was that before they made changes. Also, just curious as I heard there were accidents originally and just wondering about them (am assuming it had to do with the flying or stunts).
I saw it last August and loved it. The visuals and special effects were the best I have seen on stage. Rise Above, Picture This, A Freak Like Me, and Boy Falls From the Sky were my favorite songs. I am definitely in the minority on this show, but I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it and found it to be very entertaining.
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
I've been a Spider-Man fan my whole life. Although campy, I really did enjoy the show. The story was pretty uninspired, but the visual effects are amazing, and it is what it was originally intended to be: a fun night at the theatre.
I also enjoyed Spider-Man. Thought that Reeve Carney and Jennifer Damiano were both great, and I did like a few songs ("If The World Should End" and "Boy Falls From the Sky" to name a few), and the scenic design were really well done.
I count myself as a comic geek, although I've only been somewhat into superhero comics (I loved certain writer's runs, like Swamp Thing under Alan Moore, Daredevil under Frank Miller before he went insane with his politics, and as a teen was in love with the soap opera of X-Men), I mainly read titles like Sandman, or a lot of the more obscure manga (Banana Fish, Please Save my Earth, Moto Hagio's stuff). But regardless, I do have a lot of respect for a lot of the fans of superhero comics.
That said... I do think some of the issues with Spider-man the musical WERE due to them thinking, from the earliest stages, "Hey, comic geeks probably think musicals are silly. Let's try to bring them in... Those geeks who read comics like rock music right? Oh I remember a rock band! U2--OK let's hire them, than they'll know it'll be cool!", to use just one example. Then of course there was the whole problem that Taymor was hired with the concept that she wouldn't be just telling a silly comic book show (even with the critical success of many recent comic book movies, the term "comic book movie" is used as an insult in many film circles)--so she took overly seriously the modern concept that these comic book characters are to modern culture what mythology was to older cultures and... Long story short, you have a mess of a show. They prob should have just gone for the more, well, cartoony show they seem to basically have now, from the start.
Sounds like I'm not the only one who could just enjoy the show without expecting a Tony or having some underlying deep meaning. I agree too..overall its not the best score, but still some good songs like Bouncing off the Walls, Picture This, Boy Falls from the Sky. And the cast was very good.
Carlos...I'm neither a zeolous fan-boy or a comic geek....nor a "clueless" tourist. It was a nice mother/son evening and we both really enjoyed.
I was utterly unimpressed with the show. (Granted it was before 2.0, but from what I've heard it wouldn't have changed my mind.) It consistently brings in a full house (even if not completely sold out.) It appeals to the tourist group, especially those with families (and boys.)
I can see its appeal: its flashy, exciting and stuff like that -- but that doesn't do it for me.
I agree with Mysterious Growl -- no issue with those that enjoy the show, to each his own. (While my son has no interest in seeing the show, I think he'd likely love it -- he's 11.)
If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it?
These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.
Except, according to many people on here and their opinions, they at least *should* be, or are obviously otherwise silly tourists, or, apparently the greatest insult on this board, teenagers.
Same here - I enjoyed Spiderman 2.0 much more than I thought I would. I saw 1.0 and was bored out of my mind - it was HORRIBLE! Since it was an option at TKTS on my staycation, I figured ah, what the heck, I'll try it again.
Part of it may have been that I rushed thh first time and had a fairly bad seat - second row of the balcony all the way to the side. The second time, I was on house left in the orchestra, about 3 seats in and 10 rows back (one row behind were Spidey lands at the end of the second act).
But were you are sitting doesn't affect the story, obviously - and I thought that was MUCH better the second time around. Still somewhat incoherent, but not completely incoherent like the first time around.
All in all, if you go expecting great art that's thought-provokling, you'll be disappointed. Head over to THE BEST MAN for that, or CLYBOURNE PARK (so sad it's closing). If you want something that's generally entertaining and full of special effects that you don't have to think a lot about (I saw Spiderman the day after CLYBOURNE PARK, so it fill the bill very nicely) you'll be satisfied.
I really enjoyed the show. I saw it twice, once before and once after the reboot. The original leads were all very good, vocally and acting wise. I like that they took chances and tried to do something new. Dont forget, a lot of these critics are bitter, angry people who didnt like Wicked, Phantom or even Once.