So what did the producers of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark think of yesterday's critical pile-on? They were very disappointed. The idea that those selfish scribes wouldn't keep their mouths shut, even after they were asked nicely, is just not fair. “Changes are still being made, and any review that runs before the show is frozen is totally invalid,” a spokesman whined to the Post.
Critics chose yesterday to collectively drop their web-slicing reviews ("not only the most expensive musical ever to hit Broadway; it may also rank among the worst," Ben Brantley wrote in the Times) because February 7 was supposed to be the show's (third) opening night, before it was pushed back to the Ides of March. Though many suspect the delays were a means to keep selling full-price tickets to a show that was critically always going to be DOA, the producers insist that isn't the case. It costs them more to stay in previews, they argue, since they have to keep the theater open for daytime rehearsals in addition to each night's performances.
Either way, the Oprah-approved show probably doesn't need to worry about a group as small as critics when they've got middle America out panting for blood. As we pointed out yesterday, last week the show grossed $1,297,283 and played to almost 90% capacity. We'd be surprised if there is much drop off in this week's numbers.
