Drama

That's definitely the case with the video sneak preview where Batman drops down from the arena's ceiling straight into neon-soaked psychedelia, in which Dick Grayson being imprisoned in a clear plastic hamster ball is the least crazy thing he's confronted with.

With the show opening in a mere two weeks, it looks like there still might be a few minor bugs to work out, hopefully not as extensive as Broadway's "Spider Man."   As recent as their June 30,2011 performance, many of the flying sequences were canceled after it recently and officially opened at Broadway's Foxwoods Theatre.  But, as they say, the SHOW must go on, and Sider Man is still a hot ticket in Broadway.

In the meantime in England, Batman himself seems to be having a little trouble freeing himself from the line he rides down to the arena floor -- though admittedly, having a safety catch that's difficult to undo is a heck of a lot better than having an arena full of children traumatized by seeing Batman fall if the line comes loose too easily. Let's talk about the Joker: The centerpiece of the preview as reported, is when the actual background splits in two and a giant Joker-head emerges (see photo above). That's pretty darn weird and creepy, even before you get to the part where the Joker walks out of his own head after it releases an army of clowns.  Batman Live opens on July 19 in the Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester, England.