Spiderman Preview Thread! — Page 30

"Wow all this drama from the usual suspects."

I hope you're including yourself in that statement.

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For a supposed U2 fan, The Heckler couldn't even name Bono's alter ego from the Zooropa tour? His "Mephistopheles" was actually named "Mr. Macphisto," for what it's worth (which is not a lot).

She does have one good point, and here I'm only basing my knowledge on the available clips, but that is that Reeve Carney seems totally out of his league trying to sell Bono's songs. The rehearsal footage showing Bono taking over the music from another actress was a great illustration of this. A very pedestrian song suddenly came to life when he sang it. He can get away with lyrics that sound poetic (but are ultimately a little hollow) because he has the charisma to sell them. From what I've seen, the actors in this show don't. This show either needs a lyricist who can write something coherent or a star of such magnitude that you stop caring.

Frankly, and I say this is a dedicated U2 of 25 years or so, Bono does not know how to write a narrative or character song. If they were just going for the ambience of U2 music in the background, they should have pre-recorded U2 performing the music and done a Cirque show.

I have to say, I really believed in the potential of this project. I am devastated by the what I've heard and seen of the final product.

""Wow all this drama from the usual suspects."

I hope you're including yourself in that statement."

Nope

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So, are we up to two injuries now? Is that a precedent?

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"So, are we up to two injuries now? Is that a precedent?"

No, that's why all this drama is such a joke. When i was in Fame we had about 8, Saturday Night Fever (London) had about 5, Starlight Express had many many during its original London run etc etc

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I sort of had the feeling this wasn't the first show to have multiple injuries during its rehearsals/previews. People just seem to be taking the Fox News approach to anything having to do with this show.

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And Christina Applegate in Sweet Charity.

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And don't forget Idina falling through a trap door and having to miss her final performances in Wicked. I hope they cut that actor-eating trap door from the show.

All theatre should be stopped, it's clearly too dangerous

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Could someone explain to me how posting your opinion here is keeping people from "doing their job"? Unless people are actually going down to the Foxwoods Theatre and interfering physically with the rehearsals.

In general, when I'm working on something high profile, I stay a million miles away from here, because you're already dealing with your friend's opinions, without dealing with people here. My guess is that everyone over at Spider-Man has a lot more important things to do than read these posts, so I don't think expressing your opinion here is interfering with anyone's process.

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I guess I just don't see the same "sniping" that everyone else does.

If you read through the thread almost all the reviews from people who have seen it have been honest and balanced.

All the rest is really just filler as far as I'm concerned. This seems to be a pretty good place to get a decent idea of where the show succeeds and where it needs work.

Granted, you have to wade through a lot of tangents, but the substance of the actual reviews has been very enlightening.

And for what it's worth, yes actors have been injured during other shows. But to compare them to Spidey is really not apples to apples.
I don't think anyone can deny that the risk factor in this highly acrobatic and mechanical show is way higher than Xanadu.

Safety should be the PRIMARY concern and Taymor doesn't seem to be taking it seriously. That bothers me.

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They need to close this show and do it NOW, before someone dies out there.

So, since my internet was out yesterday, I listened to the first Spiderman preview (I'm not elaborating on the how, and please do not pm me). I am prepared now to give my thoughts on the show's book.

The first thing that dawned on me is that the girl in the "Geek Chorus" IS JULIE TAYMOR! It seems the every time the character spoke it was to justify or introduce one of the changes Taymor came up with ("Let's focus on greek mythology", "I just made up a villain so she's the best").

The retelling of the mythos is bizarre and really removes any connection the supporting characters have to Spiderman. Most notably;
-the complete overhaul of Norman Osborn, including the removal of Peter's best friend Harry Osborn
-Uncle Ben's only scene with Peter involves Ben yelling at him... he is then killed in a random hit and run as opposed to being shot by a burglar Peter let go. (ya know the REASON Peter decides to become a hero in the first place)

As the show stands the second act makes absolutely no sense, and the first wastes opportunities. From the sounds of it the Green Goblin meets his demise by falling out a window with a PIANO?! Perhaps if they cut Arachne completely, and oh I don't know read a comic, watched one of the many cartoons, and the movies, they *might* be able to make this not be a trainwreck.

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