Spiderman Preview Thread! — Page 62

It just seems with every bad show there are ALWAYS people that try to use the "but when I saw it the audience LOVED it" line as if that somehow backs up their opinion. There's no way to really tell that.
I have no idea what the whole audience was thinking when I saw it. I did notice that it was the first musical I have ever seen on Broadway that did NOT get some sort of standing ovation at the end. Even Dance of the Vampires got that when I saw it.
And PJ...trust me, shroom trips are way more fun than what's currently on stage at the Foxwoods Theater. Cheaper too.

I truly dislike this board. This is my experience with Memphis all over again. I honestly don't mind people with different opinions than mind. I find the lack of civility rather telling though.

I am curious as to where SMTOTD is drawing it's audiences from. It is near selling out every performance. Internet word has been rough, no one has hurt themselves recently and the free publicity is slowing down. Ticket prices are insane with most of the excellent seats being reserved as $275, yet they are filled.

I am not someone who judges good theater by it's box office success, but by it's word-of-mouth. Let's just wait and see...

I don't want anyone to win or lose. I want people to be respectful of other people's opinions. (I agree with you completely about Mamma Mia.)

I am not interested in SMTOTD's financial success. I have no financial investment in the show. My comment was only about how ticket sales reflect a show having found it's audience, which usually means word-of-mouth.

I'm not sure what obvious flaws I cited except a very minor - and I thought absurd - comment that there wasn't a unique set for a specific moment in the first act. Absurd because by this point in the show, we had already seen more scenery than most musicals have throughout. My criticism was to point out that SMTOTD sets a new standard in visual design.

* * *

My intermission was completely different than those others reported here. In fact, I was standing in line for the men's room and a man a few people behind me was on his mobile being even more emphatically positive about the show than I have been here. This sparked several conversations with the men on line and even into the urinals. Now, men, you know how rarely we actually talk with each other while taking a piss. Last night, in the men's room at The Foxwood Theater, men were going on about how excited they were about this show.

As for the applause... I too experienced a sort of loll regarding the final curtain call. Here's my take on that. Standing ovations are given to the performers. Although everyone in SMTOTD is good - even excellent - it isn't the cast that blows us away.

- I'm going to get killed for this one -

I suspect that if Ms. Taymor had walked onto that stage, people would have gone wild. It is the story telling that is what makes SMTOTD so brilliant. Please don't get me wrong here: not the book, or the music or even the "spectacle", but the themes being told in this "new" form of theater magic.

Okay, have your field day. Start the name calling...

Updated On: 2/5/11 at 05:58 PM

No name calling. Matter of fact, I didn't say anything negative twords you.

But now I'm just worried about your level of taste.

---

So let me get this right
Because this person liked the show everyone is jumping on him and trying to tell him how wrong he is. And because he commented on the audience being positive people are jumping on him for that as well even though all the negative comments seem to have commented on the audience as well?

Scott i have not seen the show so can't judge if it’s good or bad but i thank you for your opinion it was great to read and please feel free to express your own opinion on any show you want.

---

No one has told him NOT to post his opinion. Most of us haven't jumped on him or even torn apart his words. Most are just disagreeing with him and expressing our own experiences and opinions.

---

"My main problem with his review was the gushing preamble to it all.""

So he’s not allowed to be excited by the show or gush, yet people on here are allowed to be as venomous as possible about the show?

"If you take in consideration his enthusiam for the show before he even saw it, and his adoration of Julie Taymor I just don't think his "review" can be taken seriously."

Don’t be daft, so he was looking forward to the show and likes Taymor as many do, that does not make his review or opinion any less important.

"I know several people who have seen it and everyone, even the few who managed to enjoy it, admit that the second act is a muddled mess."

Didn’t someone just comment on him commenting on all the audiences opinion that night? so because you know a few people who have seen the show and they said act was muddled then that has to be everyone’s opinion?
I have friends who have seen the show and enjoyed it that does not mean the whole audience will feel the same because my friends enjoyed it.

---

Just saw this new review of SMTOTD. It's like all the others, the most telling thing for me, and the most consistent, is that no matter what you say, audiences just aren't thrilled, the applause is tepid and the take away is underwhelming.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-john-grohol/spiderman-turn-off-the-dark-hot-mess_b_816654.html

That was the thing that was so strange to me. No applause. Just kinda quiet and everyone leaves. Not what you are looking for in a mass appeal show about a super hero. I mean, it's not like everyone is leaving profoundly moved beyond words, right?

Scott - I also thank you for your review and appreciate that you remain calm when it seems so many others treat this board as a way to get their daily frustrations out by being overly negative and can 'appear' to gang up on others (intentionally or not).
That said, I do think your choice of saying everyone loved it is a little misguided - as you can't possibly tell. There is surely no way that everyone in a room of 2000 plus people could universally have loved it, but I guess you just mean that overall the audience appeared enthusiastic.
I am also interested in hearing what work you think DOES need to be done as I can't see any criticisms - aside from the set transition from lab to Queens set.
I am glad you enjoyed it and people have commented that you can't be taken seriously, yet they criticise other shows that are phenomenally successful - so maybe they should appreciate that just because a show is not to their taste does, it does not mean it is a bad show.

---

I enjoyed the review also. And yes, you are coming down on him whe you say you can't take him seriously because he thinks the show is a masterpiece. Maybe he is just seeing the show differently than a lot of people. I am hoping to see it soon and I have been wondering if I go in and actually like this show despite everything I have seen and heard. Scott found something in this show that most people didn't. Nothing wrong with that. I have been at odds with people over shows plenty of times. I loved "SHREK". It got pretty much raked over the coals on here. So Scott, as long as you enjoyed yourself, that's all that matters. JMO

---

Thank you to all of you who defended my right to an opinion and to post. Unfortunately, it's late and so I will respond in greater detail tomorrow when there is more time.

I will leave you tonight with some of "Scott's Masterpieces":

Dreamgirls
Grand Hotel
Hello Dolly (my first Broadway musical)
Follies (London)
Sunday in the Park with George

There are more, but these came quickly to mind and are in my "top" list.

Good night. Perhaps tomorrow I will write about my impressions of Act II.

Updated On: 2/5/11 at 12:50 AM

"A friend of mine took his parents to see the show earlier this week. They were excited about seeing it. They were upset slightly and disappointed there were no stoppages, injuries or deaths. What does this say about ticket sales and the future of SMTOTD?

I think it says a whole lot more about your friend and his parents than it does about ticket sales and Spider-Man's future."

haha i was going to say the same thing

---

I was planning on writing about Act II, but got side tracked by the commentary. I'll write about it today when I get a chance.

It is the act that needs the greater share of the work their doing before opening, but IMHO it is by far NOT the mess that many people have reported here.