The Stage

Hair

Published Thursday 15 April 2010 at 11:20 by Paul Vale

In 1965, the Vietnam war was entering its sixth year and the people of America were taking to the streets in an effort to turn US political opinion against the conflict. Futile wars overseas set against the determinedly peaceful protests in the US became the inspiration for an experimental musical by James Rado, Gerome Ragni and Galt MacDermot, within two years they had presented Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical.

The tribe, a group of peace-loving, young people, are celebrating the dawn of the age of Aquarius and begin to enlighten the audience about their philosophies and beliefs. Their leader is the charismatic Berger, who has dropped out of school and lives on the streets, getting high and making love. There is Woof, a gentle soul who extols sexual freedom, Hud, the African-American who declares himself the President of the United States of Love, heavily pregnant Jeannie protesting against pollution and Sheila, the activist with a soft spot for Berger. Gradually the musical takes on more of a narrative style becoming the story of how one of the tribe, Claude finds it increasingly difficult to refuse the US draft. After much inner turmoil, Claude joins the army, only to end up dead in the fields of Vietnam leaving the tribe to mourn their loss.

It is argued that Hair plays an important role in musical theatre history as a turning point, both in the style and nature of political theatre. In the West End, Hair’s original opening was neatly timed with the abolition of theatre censorship allowing profanity, nudity and illegal drugs referencing for the first time on the British stage. Much of Hair consists of exposition aimed at informing a sixties theatre audience about the nature of the hippie movement. This becomes a structural problem in a revival, as 40 years later, drug-taking and nudity are often regular fare in modern theatre. Indeed, the Gielgud has been home to more than its fair share of nudity in the last decade, with both The Graduate and Equus grabbing headlines.

This Tony Award-winning production, brought over with its all-American cast, does a great deal to try to capture the spirit of the original. Designer Scott Pask’s psychedelic open stage, evocatively lit by Kevin Adams, helps recreate the mood of the period, but the blend into the Gielgud’s sumptuous Louis XVI auditorium is a little jarring.

Diane Paulus’ direction is snappy and seamless, complimented perfectly by Karole Armitage’s lively choreography.

Will Swenson is magnificent in the role of Berger, oozing ambiguous sexual appeal and flirting openly with most of the audience throughout the show. Despite Swenson’s obvious charms, it needs a huge leap of faith to imagine that he had dropped out from high school that decade, let alone that morning.

Gavin Creel is marvellous as Claude, marrying the exuberance of I Got Life with the tortured drama of both his home life and his refusal to ignore the draft.

The ladies of the tribe are equally superb, from Sasha Allen as Dionne singing the evocative opening anthem Aquarius through to Allison Case as Crissy and her touching ballad, Frank Mills. Good Morning Starshine gives Caissie Levy, as Sheila, the opportunity to bring a lighter moment into the drama of the second act, much of which is dominated by the traumatic hallucination scene.

As it should be, Let the Sunshine In is not a happy-hippie dance number one might imagine but a plaintive wail from a now distant generation, a call to stop the slaughter that comes too late but echoes even now, through the ages. By this time, audiences are divided into two categories - those who are wondering what the fuss was all about and those who are scrambling over their neighbour for a chance to dance with the cast on stage. If this production of Hair can tap in to the latter audience, then its future may be secure. If not, then there are nearly 30 credited producers above the title who may have a problem.

Search Amazon for Hair items Search for tickets at Ticketmaster