If you’re American, you know all about Spiderman and there are other addicts around the world who follow the story, collect the comic books and watch the movies. I dated someone once who had thousands of Spiderman comics and probably spoke the language although probably wouldn’t admit it publicly. I have to admit, while nowhere close to obsessed, I get the appeal and have always loved Spiderman “stories,” including the comics.
I had an opportunity to see Spiderman on Broadway earlier in June. I’ve consistently been hearing negative things about the musical, mainly because it started off on the wrong foot with direction and stage flow that just didn’t seem to work. An earlier review from the New York Times right before it opened had this to say in their February review: “Directed by Julie Taymor, who wrote the show’s book with Glen Berger, and featuring songs by U2’s Bono and the Edge, “Spider-Man” is not only the most expensive musical ever to hit Broadway; it may also rank among the worst.” Here’s an updated New York Times review from June 2011, talking about Taymor’s replacement and revamp.
It changed direction however and got an overhaul and now, it certainly doesn’t rank among the worst and I’ve seen a LOT of musicals in my time between London’s West End and New York’s Broadway and Off-Broadway.
The Spiderman Musical officially called SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark follows the story of teenager Peter Parker, the arachnid-bitten superhero who learns that with great power comes great responsibility as villains test not only his physical strength, but his strength of character.
Drawing from over 40 years of Marvel comic books and three blockbuster Hollywood films for inspiration writer Taymor along with playwright Glen Berger (Underneath the Lintel, The Wooden Breeks) recreate the mythic tale, but add to it, tons of modern references. A particularly humorous addition was the scene where the mad scientist called the newspaper editor to give them (the town) a warning and is taken through one of those painful phone trees that we all experience and hate. It obviously resonated with everyone in the audience. Parker’s on-stage flame was a tad annoying on more than one occasion; one of those piercing female voices that suggested high maintenance more than anything else. That said, she knew how to sing, so it largely made up for it.
The below is a lousy shot I took on my cell phone before they threw out the severe camera warning which frankly is such an outdated, antiquated way of approaching the theatrical experience, it outstounds me. REALLY, you’re worried about money lost from some random shot taken on someone’s handheld or 60 seconds of muted audio from a poor speaker on someone’s Smart Phone? If anything, you should be encouraging people to shoot and tweet in real time about how great their experience is, driving traffic to the site and attention to the musical so more people want to attend.
My attempt.
The below was probably one of my favorite visuals on the set. Stunning, colorful, beautifully timed and synchronized, the shot doesn’t do it justice – you needed to be there to experience it just like you do in a Cirque du Soleil number. The warm colors will give you a flavor however and the blurred soft look is because the strings are moving back and forth.
Below my poorly lit iPhone shot (#1 of the 3 above) are two shots taken by SaraKrulwich/The New York Times. (credit)
Bottom line: I’d recommend seeing it – it’s animated, colorful, fun and most of the music is well-written with the exception of a few numbers I’d gladly miss. Bear in mind that some of the tickets are really expensive…in the first balcony, the tickets in the first two rows before us were literally double the price at well over $300 a ticket. (this is largely because Spiderman flies up to and lands on the balcony). Go for the third row center if you opt for the balcony because you still can get that experience without paying double OR choose a seat in the middle of the ground floor since you get a wide perspective of the stage and flying you numbers. Spiderman also releases some of his crazy spider string that stretches over the audience in a couple of cases, which is fun to experience if you’re in non-balcony seats.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
