Toronto Star Reviews Spiderman- Page 2

[tourboi]

Posted: 1/30/11 at 2:33pm

Saw and loved LOTR. hated Spidey.

There was talk before Rings even opened that they wouldn't bring it to NYC because of te high costs.

Well. After Spidey that's meaningless.

It never will open on broadway, and it's a shame because it was thrilling (IMHO). Spidey falls flat.

And Cohl was a producer but not the lead producer. The lead was British.

[tourboi]

Posted: 1/30/11 at 2:46pm

Further, having checked my old playbill, Rings' lead producer was Kevin Wallace.

[xokimbe]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 1:52am

LOTR was not as bad as critics said, but very much in need of a re-working still.

Spider-Man: TOTD is far worse at the point when I saw it (2 weeks ago).

It really was terribly boring, which is the last thing you expect for a $65 Million dollar show.

[fingerlakessinger]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 2:13am

Lot's of comped seats
Lot's of bad word of mouth
"Meh" applause
Ravaged by critics so far...
Hmmm...Taymor must be sh***ing bricks right now

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 4:23am

The thing is....

I though "The Lion King" was a mess. Sure, it looked amazing; the puppetry was superb and some of it was simply visionary, but seriously? A great musical? A solid musical? No. A gimmick musical that has run forever. Yes.

Nobody seems to want to admit the fact that almost all the principals involved in "Spiderman" don't know how to put up a show.

There must be twenty groups listed as producers. Exactly three of them have ever done a show before on Broadway. You have to go through one dozen producer credits before you hit Terry Allen Kramer and then Jam. This show is being produced by banks, not Broadway producers. If this show ever won a Tony and all the producers came up onstage, the stage would collapse under the weight.

Then look at the credits of the major creatives and again it's pretty thin. Over and over again, you see just one credit when you IBDB them.

Bono and The Edge won't rework their material? That's death for the project right there.

Has anyone seen a Traymor production that actually makes sense? I couldn't sit through her movies either.

Somehow, she strikes me as a living, breathing version of a Stephen Hawkings book: everyone has one on their coffee table but nobody has actually read past page seven.

That, for me, is a great example of the Julie Traymor experience.

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 9:45am

aoml, I have to pretty much agree with you on "The Lion King". I was wowed while I was in the theater and then I felt a bit duped when I left. All of the new music, costumes and sets were great but when it shifted to the songs we knew from the movie, it fell flat. All that "spectacle" to hide a not so great show. JMO

Updated On: 1/31/11 at 09:45 AM

[MamasDoin'Fine]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 11:57am

Spot on!
Still sounds like pile of crap I saw 6 weeks ago!

[TheatreDork3]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 1:59pm

I can't wait to see it again Friday night!!! I relish in everything Spiderman. My friends, family, and new acquaintances are already over listening to me talk about the constant barrage of news stories that keep bubbling out of this gem.

Like it or not, whether the show is a critical hit or a flop, I won't count it out just yet. In the world of 24 hour news, this show has been very lucky to receive countless amounts of press. While the press may not be great, it's still free press.

Furthermore, the show recently got both the Carson Daily (is he even still relevant) and the Oprah Winfrey seal of approval (oh yeah and that Glen Beck guy ranting that our negative impressions were a liberal conspiracy).

As long as this show runs, I will make everyone I know go see it. Admittedly, I'm selling it as a once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. This is the type of show legends are made of.

I see a book in the near future titled, "Not Since Spiderman" (taken from the famous book "Not Since Carrie" about the history of Broadway flops).

At the same time, I'm going in one of the hardest seasons for Broadway to sell tickets, and getting good seats was hard to do.

All I can say, is that if you're there on Friday night, say hi! I'll be sitting in Left part of the flying circle (second row) enjoying every second of the show! (and probably inappropriately laughing in a couple of places!!!)

TD

[Scott Briefer]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 3:17pm

TheatreDork3... I'm looking forward to your comparison comments. I really do want to know how much has changed over the course of this extended preview period.

As my finances are tight, I am waiting until after opening before purchasing my ticket. I really want to see this show!

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 3:28pm

"In the world of 24 hour news, this show has been very lucky to receive countless amounts of press."

Yes. Negative, nasty press saying what a huge p.o.s. the show is.

Oprah couldn't do anything for TCP but write a check and Carson's 'seal of approval' means nothing.

The fact that you keep trumpeting this show as a fan says a lot about your taste.

[Scott Briefer]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 3:38pm

Wow! Nasty much?

Despite the general tone of disapproval here, Spider-man is getting some rather positive comments here and elsewhere.

It wasn't too long ago that I was trashed for loving Memphis here on this board. A few weeks later, it won the Tony for best musical.

I haven't seen Spider-man yet, but I plan to. I definitely don't intend to take the word of this board.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 4:02pm

Really?!

People here are giving it positive comments?

Not that I've read.

Besides, the only ones that are giving it positive anything are the folks who just signed up on the boards...

[Baileyboo]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 4:54pm

I've seen it. I enjoyed it. I admit it has issues.
Call me a fan. The fact that I agree with Glenn Beck on anything sickens me, but what can I do?

[Scott Briefer]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 5:00pm

I agree that most people here have trashed the show. However, there are many positive comments regarding the visuals, the aerials and yes, even the overall experience.

But, "here" is by no means a good barometer of what is and isn't a good - great - Broadway show. I am more disappointed by the voices at BWW than not. If I had a life, I think I would cease to follow this board.

[TheatreDork3]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 5:04pm

TheaterDiva:

I'm sorry that not all of us have been involved with BWW since 2004 - good for you. But just because we're new to the boards doesn't mean that we're idiots or haven't been Broadway fans much longer than that.

As for Spidey, you know good and well I've hardly been a supporter of the show. My first post was created because I needed place to purge my thoughts on what I had seen the night before. Since then, I've been pretty active in a number of discussions (not just Spidey).

You may be a diva, but frankly you just end up sounding like a theatre dick on here, but then maybe that's why you hide behind anonymity.

Td

[allofmylife]

Posted: 2/1/11 at 6:04am

No, but we do understand shills when we smell them....

[Scott Briefer]

Posted: 2/1/11 at 9:00am

Your comment about shills is incorrect. I have been accused of being a shill on numerous occasions here and I'm not. Sorry, You're simply wrong. This board doesn't know a shill and only uses it as a "dirty" word to discount an opposing position.

[quizking101]

Posted: 2/1/11 at 1:17pm

I cannot wait for the day reviews come out (hopefully February 8th), I'll be with smile on face and popcorn in hand.

On another note, some friends and I passed by the Foxwoods on Sunday Night (after we departed Chicago Fan Day). We were asking people how the show was.
About 15-20 told us their feelings and a good chunk (at least 80%) loathed it.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/1/11 at 6:50pm

"You may be a diva, but frankly you just end up sounding like a theatre dick on here, but then maybe that's why you hide behind anonymity."

Name calling? Really?!

How mature.

And if you had been on these boards as long as I have been, you would know that I hide behind nothing. Long time posters know me, and have met me. I actually work in the business. But then, I don't need to sit here and tell you that. Or anything.

I just have a hard time listening to people who sign on and suddenly feel as if every word they have in their heads, needs to be posted here. Spiderman seems to have brought in a huge wave of these folks, and I consider you one of them.

And you may want to learn the rules. Name calling is not allowed.

Signed,
Dick

[TheatreDork3]

Posted: 2/1/11 at 7:14pm

Dear Diva:

You're right, I should have resorted to name calling, but then you have taken quite a few jabs during this whole process yourself and are not exactly pure and innocent on the subject. Maybe if you would take the time to get to know new people instead of just insulting them, I would have reacted the way I have. Maybe if you challenged people with arguments and not insinuations, everyone on here would have a better experience.

TD

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/1/11 at 7:43pm

"Maybe if you challenged people with arguments and not insinuations, everyone on here would have a better experience."


Everyone?

So, now you speak for everyone? Or is it my fault that 'everyone' doesn't have a 'better experience'?

Maybe the new folks need to know what they are getting into before they start posting here.

[HummingAlong]

Posted: 2/1/11 at 9:34pm

Sooooo....about Spider-Man....or how 'bout that weather....?

(*cuts the tension with a knife*)

[willheim2]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 1:18am

i just love the fighting. fills up my boring life. cant wait for another review to hit so we have. more to talk about.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 1:58am

Me tooooooooooooooo!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/2/11 at 2:26am

The show is a mess. That doesn't mean it wont succeed. There are several less than wonderful shows currently playing.

Regardless. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Even if they don't know what they are talking about.

{snicker}