I wonder if I am the only one that thinks that the comic book Spiderman does not lend itself to the genre of Broadway musical. I first heard about this about six months ago and again more recently. Now it appears it will be opening on Broadway in November. It isn’t that the creators are not talented people. But I keep picturing Spiderman hanging upside down from his web and singing “Memories” from the musical Cats.
Julie Taymor wrote and will be directing Spiderman. She also directed the movie Frida and Across the Universe. I really liked Frida. I thought it was visually beautiful and a great story. Across the Universe, on the other hand, was gorgeous but I felt it had no soul. So I have to wonder how her re-telling of Spiderman will turn out. I feel the same about the people behind the music and lyrics. I love U2’s earlier works but I am really not a huge fan of their current albums. So I wonder what kind of direction they will take Spiderman.
But really how critical of Spiderman when I would be willing to pay money to go see the musical American Idiot, which also strikes me as a dumb idea for a musical?
I think this could still be a very intertaining musical if it focuses on the human elements. Peter Parker singing about his conflict and later guilt could play fine for instance.
ReplyDeleteIt's the web slinging and action that is so hard to picture for me. I hope most of that happens off stage and is revealed through newspapers and people talking on the streets and such!
I had heard about this musical but your image of Spiderman singing "Memory" from "Cats" is PRICELESS. Brilliant.
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