Spider-Man fiasco: why director Taymor had to go

The cursed Broadway version of Spider-Man has hit yet more trouble after the show's director and co-writer, Julie Taymor, left the production and the musical's opening night was put back yet again, this time to the "early summer".
 
Taymor had been involved with the $65m show since it was first dreamt up nine years ago. Her exit was announced on Wednesday as debate raged over the reasons for her departure - although the disastrous reviews, technical catastrophes and cast injuries that have plagued the show can't have helped matters.
 
Stepping into her shoes and picking up what now looks like a poisoned chalice is Philip William McKinley, the former director of the Broadway hit The Boy from Oz.
 
The cast were told of the changes on Wednesday at a meeting with the producers and the show's other creators Bono and The Edge from U2, who wrote the score for the production.
 
Announcing Taymor's departure, producers Michael Cohl and Jeremiah Harris said: "Julie's previous commitments mean that past March 15, she cannot work the 24/7 necessary to make the changes in the production in order to be ready for our opening."
 
They also confirmed that the show's opening night will be pushed back from next Tuesday to early summer, the sixth time it's been delayed. This week Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark passed 100 preview performances.
 
The New York Times claims that Taymor was sacked because she would not make the changes that the producers wanted and which had been backed by Bono and The Edge.
 
But the New York Daily News suggested that it was her meddling with the score that cost her the job. The paper pointed out that Taymor had hired Broadway musical consultant Paul Bogaev and he was tightening up the score.
 
The critics long ago lost patience and published their official reviews - which were less than complimentary. Ben Brantley of the New York Times summed up the mood, writing: "Spider-Man is not only the most expensive musical ever to hit Broadway; it may also rank among the worst."
 
Yet the show is still pulling in the punters at the Foxwoods Theatre and last week it reportedly took $1.28m. However, an aerial fight scene between Spider-Man and his nemesis the Green Goblin had to be abandoned during the 101st preview because of yet more technical problems.
 
McKinley, the new man at the helm, must now stamp his mark on the production, and it is reported that the musical will be shut down for several weeks in order that wide-ranging changes can be made. Bono and The Edge are also expected to take more of a hands-on role. ·