When I stumbled upon this bit of news about a Batman live stage show, my mind immediately went to the train wreck that is (or, looks like now, was) Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Apparently, though, this is a show that has been put together by Anthony Van Laas, who has done choreography for Mamma Mia! and Sister Act, and has described this production as “Described as neither a musical, nor a traditional theatrical production, but ‘an elaborate all-new, all-action arena production aimed at kids and families.'” – So, yeah, whatever that means.
This production is set to start touring the UK this July with plans to come to the US in 2012. Batman Live follows an original script written specifically for the show that is a retelling of how Dick Grayson becomes Robin and features a handful of villains including, The Joker, The Riddler, Harley Quinn, Penguin, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman. I tried to find a bit more out about this production, but all I could really find was just a bunch of blurbs talking the show up about how big of a lavish spectacle it will be, and how “we” have never seen anything like it. Sound familiar? . . .
Creative director Anthony Van Laast, who has worked on West End shows and Hollywood movies including the latest Harry Potter, said: “It’s got stunts, it’s got Batman flying, it’s a big lavish spectacular – this is going to be a really good piece of theatre.”
The Dark Knight will be helped by a brand new Batmobile created by Formula One designer Professor Gordon Murray, which will drive on to the stage before skidding to a halt.
A 100ft screen shaped like a bat will act as a backdrop for the special effects, and characters will be able to fly around the set thanks to a grid suspended above the stage. It will also include an action sequence where the Joker tries to escape in a hot air balloon, only to be shot down in flames.
The idea of taking iconic superheroes and putting them on a live stage has never had much appeal to me. The costumes always look “off” and the idea of a bunch of theater actors over-acting to portray a superhero just makes me cringe. That being said, I’m sure there are some fans of theater out there who may be all about this. I can’t exactly figure out if this is just a straight theater production, or if there is singing and dancing. To me, it’s one thing to put on a big, exciting production of Batman – it’s something completely different to have Bruce spin, then do a graceful leap through the air before landing a punch to The Joker’s face, followed up with him belting out a few notes about being a tortured soul in a bat-costume.
In any case, it will be interesting to read some reviews of Batman Live once it hits the stage and to find out a little more about exactly what this show entails. Until then, I hope this crew has better luck than the Spider-Man crew with getting this off the ground – even if it’s not my “cup o’ tea”.
Source: This Is London, Daily Mail, Batmanlive.com
What are your thoughts on a Batman live stage-show? Would you check it out if it does indeed come to the US next year? Leave your thoughts on the comments below!