Spider-Man Musical Producers Dismiss Early Reviews

roducers behind Broadway’s SPIDER-MAN musical have urged theatre fans to ignore scathing early reviews of the troubled show and reserve judgment until the play officially opens next month (Mar11).

Director Julie Taymor’s Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark has suffered from numerous technical issues and on-set accidents since previews began last year (10), prompting bosses behind the show to alter the story ending and push back the big launch until 15 March (11).

But many theatre critics broke with Broadway tradition on Tuesday (08Feb11) and published fresh reviews from last weekend’s (05-06Feb11) productions, which were still riddled with errors.

A critic for the New York Times branded the play “sheer ineptitude”, while the Washington Post’s reviewer dismissed it as “a shrill, insipid mess”. A New York magazine reporter suggested the show is “underbaked, terrifying, confusing”.

Even Glee star Chris Colfer, who attended Sunday’s (06Feb11) performance, admits he had to chuckle when web-slinging actor Reeve Carney was left dangling above bewildered audience members.

He says, “Nothing happened until the very end, when his (Carney’s) harness got stuck, so he was just hanging there like a pinata. I just kind of, you know, point and laugh.”

But Rick Miramontez, a spokesman for the musical, is calling on theatre experts and fans alike to wait before writing off the play altogether.

He says, “This pile-on by critics is a huge disappointment. Changes are still being made and any review that runs before the show is frozen and is totally invalid.”

The $65 million (£43 million) show features a score composed by U2 rockers Bono and The Edge.

[source]