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Playbill.com: The Aug. 15 performance of the technically elaborate Broadway musical was stopped when Curry's foot was caught in one of the mechanical stage lifts shortly after 9 PM. The performance was canceled, and Curry was taken to Bellevue Hospital in serious condition, according to a FDNY report.
This seems to be another annual accident on this show. The fact that most of the incidents have been serious is alarming and the technical designers and operators must be scrambling to add safeguards and extra safety protocols. Automation has gotten to the point where it can be programmed down to the millisecond and with the accuracy of position sensing we can make sure that the moves are perfect. The problem is that the actors will not have that accuracy and will sometimes lag. Clearances and timing is so tight to increase the illusion that stage managers and operators can not react in time. The fact that there aren't more accidents is impressive after this many performances with this many moving parts.
Ah Spiderman.... This show seems outright cursed. Just like 3D movies, it is obvious that the technology needed to achieve the effect of this show is still outside of our reach. The production team seems to be rushing to put out the next big spectacle out there without taking the moment to work out all the kinks. The result is shoddy work that results malfunctioning machinery or human error from inadequate practice. A show with a history of accidents like Spiderman should be seriously inspected by safety authorities before it is allowed to continue, if at all.
So sad... another tragic event happened at Cirque du Soleil's "Ka" back in July. Shows with risky contraptions and advanced technology can really be incredible, but they also pose huge risks, especially in acrobatic shows like Cirque. The article on the link below says "We are reminded, with great humility and respect, how extraordinary our artists are each and every night."
3 comments:
This seems to be another annual accident on this show. The fact that most of the incidents have been serious is alarming and the technical designers and operators must be scrambling to add safeguards and extra safety protocols. Automation has gotten to the point where it can be programmed down to the millisecond and with the accuracy of position sensing we can make sure that the moves are perfect. The problem is that the actors will not have that accuracy and will sometimes lag. Clearances and timing is so tight to increase the illusion that stage managers and operators can not react in time. The fact that there aren't more accidents is impressive after this many performances with this many moving parts.
Ah Spiderman.... This show seems outright cursed. Just like 3D movies, it is obvious that the technology needed to achieve the effect of this show is still outside of our reach. The production team seems to be rushing to put out the next big spectacle out there without taking the moment to work out all the kinks. The result is shoddy work that results malfunctioning machinery or human error from inadequate practice. A show with a history of accidents like Spiderman should be seriously inspected by safety authorities before it is allowed to continue, if at all.
So sad... another tragic event happened at Cirque du Soleil's "Ka" back in July. Shows with risky contraptions and advanced technology can really be incredible, but they also pose huge risks, especially in acrobatic shows like Cirque. The article on the link below says "We are reminded, with great humility and respect, how extraordinary our artists are each and every night."
http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/30/us/nevada-cirque-death
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