We’ve previously reported on the woes of the Spider-Man musical, oh, we’re sorry, “Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark”, which seems out to kill its stuntmen. But, really, that’s bad, but just a bump in the road, right? Everything else is lined up, right? Terrible costumes (right) and all?
Well, sure, except apparently the music isn’t synced up with the effects, the dialogue, or the plot. The scene transitions aren’t done either, which is actually hugely dangerous. Oh, also, not only are the stunts not done yet, the Department of Labor hasn’t given them the OK. Oh, yeah, and lest we forget, all this means it’s missing out on the one time of year anybody actually goes to a Broadway musical, the holiday season, and is opening in January.
Did we mention $60 million has been spent so far? We could have gotten a season of a live-action Spidey TV show that didn’t suck with that kind of money. Wait, a production by noted lunatic Julie Taymor and epic ego case Bono goes overbudget? Really? The news is so depressing Spidey has been reduced to this:
![[avatar]](http://p.uproxxcdn.com/photo/569/thumb)
![[image]](http://cdn.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2013/05/spider-man-pulls-rhinos-pants-down-on-the-amazing-spider-man-2-set-150x150.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2013/05/snapchat-150x150.png)
![[image]](http://cdn.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2013/05/spiderman-theamazingspiderman-2-22-150x150.jpg)
![[image]](http://cdn.uproxx.com/wp-content/thumbnails/130/110/2013/05/spiderman-theamazingspiderman52-150x150.jpg)
I have two friends working on the production and they both swear that everyone who doubts the show is gonna be eating their words come January. And I gotta admit, some of the stuff they showed me was pretty jaw-droppingly great.
I also don’t get this thing about “missing the holiday season.” Their first preview is 11/28–there’s lots of performances during that Xmas week…
Normally, I’d joke around, but, speaking as somebody with an actual honest-to-God theater degree, this show really is in very serious trouble. No scene transitions? Nothing’s synced yet? They still haven’t gotten approval for the stunts?
All this and what music has been released is absolutely horrible even by Broadway standards. Maybe Taymor will pull it out, but to say I’m profoundly skeptical is putting it mildly.
i read all the slams about this musical before going to new york to see it. so i went in with very low expectations. as it turned out some of the slams were on point but – it was really good. i can see why they changed some of the story around a little (which i didnt care for) – to have the female population enjoy it. other than that – the story was good, the singing good, and the stunts amazing.