Last week I attended a production of Peter Pan that opened in London last year and is now touring the states. It utilizes four flying rigs to make the kids fly (much less sophisticated than the Spiderman rigs, these are the traditional trapeze style rigs like in Mission Impossible). The actors have harnesses under their costumes and they clip in and clip out of their flying rigs throughout the scenes, sometimes clipping in and out three times in a single scene.

There were no mix ups and there have been no injuries with this production (as far as I know), but I was a bit troubled by the actors having to clip in and clip out of their rigs. I would not want to be in attendance when one of these wonderful actors falls 30 feet. I just don't want to witness that and I wouldn't want children to see it.

I think these productions are beginning to be (like someone else said) more like a Universal Studios stunt show. I don't want actors put in any danger due to the mistaken belief that audiences want spectacle and outrageous stunts. This Spiderman production seems to have crossed the line. The technology exceeds the grasp of the performers and there are no redundancies built in as insurance. It's either hit your mark or get injured. I don't need a blood sport, how about a little Three Little Maids From School Are We? This is supposed to be Theater not Rollerball.

Video of latest accident on the NYT website...here: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/20...ormance/#video

that wasn't an accident. that guy committed suicide.

This show just needs to close down before it gets any more negative press. If you can't get the technical problems hammered out beforehand, you have no business trudging forward.

I read a brief synopsis of the plot on AICN, and my reaction was pretty much "WTF?" They have a story about a Spider-Goddess blessing people with gifts? Swarm is one of the villains? Who in the world would know who that is?

Also, what about Bono and Edge qualifies them as the right people to pen a Spidey musical? I like U2, but just because they're good at one thing doesn't mean they should try another. Also, given the thrashing Tempest is getting, I would say Julie Taymor is about to fall pretty hard as everyone is predicting. She seems almost borderline arrogant in her interviews.

I think Mysterio has been sabotaging this production from day one.

with a rotten tomatoes rating of 24% for 'The Tempest' I'd assume she would be bitchy and uptight, personally I think she's holding onto her fifteen minutes of fame with 'The Lion King' and running with it.

To her credit, "Titus" was a masterpiece and "Frida" was great.

Titus was fantastic. Frida was a work for hire gig, IIRC. But Across The Universe was so noxious I would gladly get rid of everything else she's ever done just in order to erase it from existence.

Strongly seconded.

If this show closes, does anyone think that producers will at least record one show onto DVD/blu-ray so that they can at least make money from home video sales/rentals?

It's too bad they haven't been filming behind the scenes for this from day one. This ordeal would make one hell of a Lost in La Mancha-like documentary.

Never quite understood the drubbing "Across The Universe" gets. I loved it (as have most people I've watched it with). Oh well. Not everyone has felt the sweet kiss of a womb either.

Or have they?

Back to Spider-Man... at this point hire Conan's people and turn it into an all-out farce. Guarantee you it'd run maybe 1% of the existing production costs and be 10X as entertaining. Think of all the silly string you could sell!

Adam Pascal, famed for his role in 'Rent,' took to Facebook to issue some of the harshest comments. He wrote (via Moviefone):

I have to weigh in on Spiderman. They should put Julie Taymor in Jail for assault! I know what its like to fall and get hurt in front of 2000 people. It's no fun, but at least it was the one time it happened. I hope whoever was hurt is ok and sues the shit out of Julie, Bono, Edge and every other asshole who invested in that steaming pile of actor crippling s**t!

okay 'Frida'' was good, but I differ on my opinion of 'Titus' - ugh pretentious drivel in my book.

aren't there union rules anyway regarding safety and preventative bodily harm to this type of extreme performances.

No band should ever be as Glee-ified as ATU did to the Beatles. Fuck ATU. And, while I'm at it, fuck Glee, too. Let them have all the garbage music (Top 40, most rap, etc.), but leave my Beatles the fuck alone.

From what I've heard, OSHA has been called to this set more times than the guy who's playing Spidey!

Nahhh, not really...but they have been on-set many times, in both advisory and investigative aspects, from what I've heard.

so what do you think of the jukebox mixing of 'Love' then ...

I like it very much, actually. It's "ratified" by the survivors (and the estates of the others), and was produced/engineered/handled by the proper people (George Martin, etc.).

Love is the Beatles. ATU is not.

yes

And.... it's over
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/1...tml?view=print
'Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark' Canceled, Closed Indefinitely

First Posted: 12-22-10 01:06 PM | Updated: 12-22-10 05:16 PM

UPDATE: The NY Post is reporting that the show's Wednesday night performance has been cancelled, and that following a state safety innspection, the show has been closed indefinitely.

Right now, Spider-Man is nobody's hero.

The blockbuster Broadway show 'Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark,' long besieged by financial and logistical problems, has seen things turn for the worse once it actually got on stage, with four actors suffering severe injuries during test shows. The most recent, Christopher Tierney, fell on Monday and broke ribs and is in serious condition; another suffered a concussion, and yet another broke both wrists.

Broadway actors, already a besieged group, are now revolting, calling for the show to be canceled -- and far worse, too.

Adam Pascal, famed for his role in 'Rent,' took to Facebook to issue some of the harshest comments. He wrote (via Moviefone):

I have to weigh in on Spiderman. They should put Julie Taymor in Jail for assault! I know what its like to fall and get hurt in front of 2000 people. It's no fun, but at least it was the one time it happened. I hope whoever was hurt is ok and sues the shit out of Julie, Bono, Edge and every other asshole who invested in that steaming pile of actor crippling s**t!
Taymor directs the production, while Bono and Edge provided the music.

Alice Ripley, who won a Tony for her part in 'Next to Normal,' also wants the show shut down, and is majorly concerned for her colleagues.

"Does someone have to die? Where is the line for the decision makers, I am curious." she tweeted. "'Spider-Man' should be ashamed of itself. This is completely unacceptable and embarrassing to working actors everywhere."

Instead, the show announced it would continue running on Wednesday night.

According to Playbill.com, the Wednesday night cancellation is just to allow time to rehearse new safety protocols, and the show is scheduled to resume on Thursday evening.

I bet people with tickets are praying it's cancelled so they can get a refund.

Are you kidding? And miss being present for when somebody dies right in front of them? No way.