Accidents, injuries, faulty set pieces and some very nasty reviews of preview performances doesn't mean Broadway's new Spider-Man musical is destined to be a flop.
In fact, director Julie Taymor insists she's quite pleased with how things are coming along...
"I think it is exactly what we expected," Taymor told me earlier today while promoting her new movie adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Tempest. "In fact, better than what we expected. It's beyond my expectations.
"But the press?" she continued. "You never expect that."
The $65 million show—the most expensive show in Broadway history—doesn't officially open until next month.
Taymor says she never promised perfection right out of the gate. "We have work to do," she said. "We have work on the book and work on getting it to run smoothly every night. It's like a circus. There are things that can go wrong and you just have to stop."
The Tempest, on the other hand, was a much smoother ride. Taymor did a gender switch with Dame Helen Mirren playing the lead role of Prospera. "Helen is the dream to play any part. But when I didn't have a male in mind, I thought about the great women who never get these roles," Taymor said. "She's perfect."
Also in the cast? Russell Brand as the bumbling court jester Trinculo. Taymor didn't know who Brand was until her husband (and musical collaborator) Elliot Goldenthal suggested she take in one of his stand-up shows in NYC. "I went to see him on a Saturday night," she said. "We met Sunday and he was cast Monday."
I've got more of Brand for you. Check back here tomorrow to read all about our afternoon chat.