Could anything make Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark a bigger story in the news? Yes, actually. An actor getting injured during one of the much-touted action scenes.
That’s exactly what happened last night at the Foxwoods Theatre when one of the actors playing Spider-Man – the Times is reporting that it’s Christopher Tierney, per a concerned tweet from Natalie Mendoza — fell into an onstage pit after his safety wire snapped during the penultimate scene. Audience members on Twitter reported seeing ambulances and hearing blood-curdling screams, and that someone in the crowd may have been injured. The Times posted video.
All in all, not good. Like, really not good.
Later reports informed us that the actor–who broke several ribs and suffered some bleeding–is in serious but stable condition, but it’s hard not to wonder: What in hell is going on at that show? Actors get injured sometimes. It’s part of what they do. But with the spotlight turned squarely on Spider-Man for lots of other reasons (It’s real expensive, real complex, and created by people who are real famous.), the injuries at this show have begun seem kind of over-the-top and unusual. Concussions? Safety wire malfunctions? This isn’t what we usually see on Broadway — a place where actors fly all the time.
More interesting, though, were reactions in our Twitter feed, which expressed shock at the incidents and demanded that the show be closed down or closely reviewed for safety issues. Others raged at Julie Taymor for putting actors in danger, and the producers for being money-hungry at the expense of safety and sanity.
Our opinions at The Craptacular are pretty mixed. (Lucky: What the fuck are they even doing at that theater? If it’s dangerous, shut it down. The Mick: Give it a minute. This is scary, but we need to know more before we scream for shutdowns. Aerialists know their jobs have risk.) So we’re putting it out to you.
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