Spiderman!

We spontaneously thought , 'lets go see Spiderman the musical this week' and ended up getting student rush tickets this morning, for tonights show.

It is the most expensive show on broadway and the most famous for its very long previews, and controversy!

Spider-Man, Turn off the dark; is a rock musical with lyrics by U2's Bono and based upon the famous Marvel comics. It is known as the most technically complex show on Broadway with 27 Aerial sequences, and the characters flying and engaging in aerial combat. The set is phenomenal, launching the audience right into the middle of the action, with many moving pieces, trap doors, and amazing projections. Most of the set is drawn like the original comics and it is drawn perfectly in perspective. The most amazing part of the scene changes is when us the audience is looking down on New York from the top of the Chrysler building and the characters are falling, the chrysler building comes our horizontal to the stage and Spiderman and Greengoblin are fighting over the top of the audience.

Five performers were injured while working with Spiderman in the beginning, one spiderman broke both wrists, another broke his ankle one jumped with out the second safety cord, luckily just receiving a concussion, one got hit in the head by scenery and another, stage crew member, got knocked out by a spiderman as he flew into the wings! Health and Safety reviewed the show and alterations were made!


This show has mixed reviews. The choreography is very modern, contemporary with a slant of hiphop, not exactly the aerialist and musical theatre dances forte, the singing is mediocre and acting a little pantomime-ish however the effects make up for this 10 times over.


We sat in the front row of the upper circle, one would usually say the 'cheap' seats, yes they were cheap, and no way would we have paid the $130 dollar fee for the top price tickets, however we were right by one of Spiderman's landing plinthes. The first time he flew, at speed, no wonder people have been injured, he landed literally on Sam, as he was nearest the plinth, I thought he was going to keep going! Having been in numerous Peter Pans' flying on stage is normal, but never have I seen anything so mind blowing as the aerial tricks that were going on hanging above this massive audience. The costumes and other special effects were also mind blowing.

Of course the famous kiss...happened right at the end!

A must see show for anyone who likes a bit of thrill...and if theatre is like this is 2012....where can it go next!