Spider-man: Turn up the House Lights... Please!
So... last night, I went to see the ultra-hyped "Spider-man Turn Off the Dark". I expected lots of amazing effects, dazzling sets and flying Spideys - and thats exactly what I got - AND NOTHING MORE! Julie Taymors Lion King was ground-breaking - 13 years ago! - but she has lost her way since... A musical only works if there is a good story the book, good songs its a musical, after all, good direction and a good cast, etc... Heres my checklist: * Sets & Lighting: Amazing... scenic design was flawless * Music: Horrendous - although U2 may be the greatest rock/pop band to some, Bono and The Edge failed miserably. * Book: What book? The first act was a rehash of the first movie, yet unintelligible when told on stage - the second act was a disaster - I still dont understand the story line... * Cast: You could find better singers outside on 42nd Street... * Direction: Messy... Cirque du Soleil belongs in a tent - not on Broadway. Im glad I went to see it - it was certainly a spectacle - but not spectacular. Now I know why they delayed the opening until 1/11/11... they have LOTS of problems to work out - and they are not operational/flying issues... they need a new story, new music and a new director! Good luck with that... Of course this is IMHO, but this musical is one hot mess that will probably be on Broadway for decades... because at this point - its all about the effects... the flying... the oohs and aahs... the hype... and the $78M invested by... count them - 11 producers! After 3 long hours of "Spider-man Turn Off the Dark", I just couldnt wait until they turned ON the house lights... Cant wait for the reviews on 1/12!

Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark on Saturday, Dec 11th, 2010