Spiderman 2.0 — Page 2

"Special Thanks"


HAHAHAHA!

Jordan I completely agree. It's more of a bland tourist spectacle with a weak score. Give credit where it's due though. In 3 weeks they implemented a very different book, restaged most the songs and ran the show in front of an audience for the first time without any major glitches. A huge accomplishment for the cast and crew and congrats to them.

The "spiderman!" Song that the reggae guy sang during the fashion show has been moved to the middle of act two. It is sung by the whole ensemble and the drummer is now a line cook.

The song with the generals is still in but the generals are not. They are now men in green suits who run a VIPER org that wants to make super soldiers with his research. The ensemble are now those soldiers.

MJ used to have that ballad in the apartment near the end of act 2 but it has been moved near the top of act 2 and sung on the fire escape. What was once an excruciating scene is now playful and almost cute. Peter duets near the end of the song.

No Arachne songs AT ALL except Turn Off the Dark in act two. It's the only time she appears in the act. Now she doesn't make love to him either. Just gives him advice.

Ben is no longer run over but shot by a burglar and it happens off stage to much better effect.

Overall the songs now appear to have purpose (and buttons at the end). They don't come so out of the blue like before.

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Does Arachne still sing in Rise Above?

Updated On: 5/12/11 at 11:00 PM

What is the context of the song Turn Off the Dark now? Before didn't it have to do with Arachne creating the illusions? Sorry for all the questions by the way

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So TV went from having a leading role to a tiny role?

If that's the case, it seems odd that she's still billed above Patrick Page.

Whizzer, was there much new choreography added? Just curious what Chase Brock's contributions were....

I guess think again is out?

There was quite a bit of new choreography. In fact almost every single number was restaged to a degree. Just for example the DIY number sung in the lab no longer has the moving staircase Norman swung around on. The dance has elements from before, but also many new steps.

Book changes were numerous because there is no longer a Geek Chorus to narrate the show. Therefore the story must be shown to us. Ben and May have been beefed up and are kinder. That line Peter yelled about them never being his parents has been cut. They have a scene planting flowers that is nice and Ben bonds with Peter before he dies.

Emily and Norman have a deeper relationship and the former military number is explained.

Much humor has been injected in the show. The Goblin has a scene where he calls the Daily Bugle to speak with JJ and must wade through the prompts before he can leave a message.

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I am really, really glad to hear that Uncle Ben has more to do. In the original staging, he just seemed like a crotchety jerk for all five of his onstage seconds and his death was just silly. It was the show's biggest slap-in-the-face to Spider-Man's history, and it made his decision to become a hero so unbelievable.

Does Aunt May now have anything to do with Peter after Ben's death? I remember that the only time she came back on in the first version was to bitch about Peter not getting her pills on time, or something.

Updated On: 5/13/11 at 11:59 PM

OK- Just got back from the first preview (May 12).
Jordan,...you were there??/

ok-I'm gonna ramble thoughts because there's so much (or not much) to say.....


Sat with Michael Riedel.....which made it for an interesting night.

I will leave it at that. I will not divulge on any chat about the show with him, what he thought or whatever, cuz I'm sure you will read it on his column as he furiously wrote all throughout the show.


On to the show----

This is the first time I've seen this. I can't compare it to the 1.0 version but can put together all the comments, articles and stories.

I did sense more of a plot and story line. but the real credit goes to the screenwriter for the part 1 Spiderman film... because I felt like I was watching the film on stage.

The show on a whole was bland-generic.
The music did not pop. Nothing stood out.
You don't leave the theatre humming or singing anything. I left humming the guitar riff on the main tune simply because it's played in the commercials.

The sets and costumes (for some) steal the show.
It's sad when a hard working ensemble and cast of performers are upstaged by spectacle and scenery.
Speaking of cast-
i felt all the vocals were weak.
the lead players were weak.
The ones who stood out for me---the adults.
I'm talking Patrick Page, the newspaper boss and Peter's Aunt.
thank god for them- for having some life on stage.
but the only time the writing gets good is when it pokes fun at itself.
The references to 65 million dollars, the Post, time issues.

Flying sequences...shaky.
more than 1 spiderman on stage at the same time?
sequence entrance exits///fix the timing boys and girls.

I was also annoyed that all spidermen were so different physically. SOme were bulked up hulk-like---others skinny and frail...made no sense in casting the flyers.


Everyone else seemed dialed in, bored, scared, I don't know.
ARachne, MJ, and Peter were not stellar....or near it.
Their songs-bland and performances---just ok. nothing show-stopping or surprising.

Act 2 opener' freak like me'
reminded me of a mix between 2 songs from Taboo --'Dressed to Kill' and 'Give me a Freak'---but a bad version with techno beats and awkward techno-fashion show----bizarre.

On a whole: this is a show for tourists.

For people who save their pennies and want spectacle. nothing else.
It's for kids to experience theatre for the first time.

I'm surprised they didn't sell popcorn in the aisles the way they did in this theatre when Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was there---that's the kind of touristy circus crowd the show caters to.

I am VERY uncomfortable watching these young performers risk their lives on these high flying acts, over my head, on ropes...for the sake of applause.

I sat 6th row Orchestra on the aisle- Spiderman almost fell on us..by inches as he lands in the aisle....just scary. not thrilling.

i was on the edge of my seat.
Not because it was thrilling, but because I was afraid for their lives, and mine (in case anyone fell on me).
That is not thetare. The show is not musical theatre.
It's a combo of a Six Flags Batman Stunt Show and Cirque du SOleil/Fuerza bruta/Vegas-spectacle that instead of sizzles...just fizzles out really fast.

i was bored through most of it.
then when the flying/fight scenes happened. I was scared for my life- and theirs.

it was cool on a whole visually.

But the music sucked. And I'm a u2 fan since the 'Gloria' days in 1982-
i own WAR, the Unforgettable Fire, Joshua Tree and some of the recent albums....but this BLOWS hard musically.

that killed it for me.

I'm glad there was more of a story---but I felt they just took the screenplay from the film and adapted it to stage.

I was really rooting for this---
i went in with no prejudices-
i wanted to be a kid and have fun-
it was just tedious.


there were maybe 3 moments that made me chuckle.
the rest- a bore.

MIchael kept looking at his watch.

I give it 5 cracked peanuts out of 10 for visuals and effort..
But the peanuts were stale.

Updated On: 5/13/11 at 12:24 AM

So are the Geek Chorus members just now part of the ensemble, or were they fired?