About Me

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Matthew Freeman is a Brooklyn based playwright with a BFA from Emerson College. His plays include THE DEATH OF KING ARTHUR, REASONS FOR MOVING, THE GREAT ESCAPE, THE AMERICANS, THE WHITE SWALLOW, AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR, THE MOST WONDERFUL LOVE, WHEN IS A CLOCK, GLEE CLUB, THAT OLD SOFT SHOE and BRANDYWINE DISTILLERY FIRE. He served as Assistant Producer and Senior Writer for the live webcast from Times Square on New Year's Eve 2010-2012. As a freelance writer, he has contributed to Gamespy, Premiere, Complex Magazine, Maxim Online, and MTV Magazine. His plays have been published by Playscripts, Inc., New York Theatre Experience, and Samuel French.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Spider Man keeps falling

Okay, so no one told Bono you had to say "The Scottish Play." What gives?

God knows no one wants to be on the record insulting Julie Taymor and U2, major and successful artists, and this does sound like piling on, but what, exactly, is the point?

First you have Spider Man, a big time commercial Marvel property that has had his chance to shine and tell his story everywhere you can imagine (movies, comic books, cartoons, TV shows). Then you have Julie Taymor, who has already had her Tony for commercial work, and has a full career of films and spectacles. Then you have U2, which has already created incredibly successful and ubiquitous music for decades.

What here is so new and powerful and artistically potent that it's worth risking the safety of the actors? Or sending them to the hospital? Or risking the audience's safety?

1 comment:

Ian Thal said...

A few years in the future:

Neophyte Actor: What do you have there?

Veteran Actor: Watchmen. I've been reading it on the subway.

Neo: Oh I just love comic books: Batman, The Justice League, Spider-Man....

Vet: What did you say?

Neo: Oh you like Spider-Man too?

Vet: Get out! Don't come back until you've circled the building five times!