Music by Galt MacDermot
Her
Majesty's Theatre, May 20 until July, 2003
Reviewer: Kate Herbert on May 20, 2003
David Atkins' production of Hair, the 60s musical, is
peppy and jam-packed with effervescent youthfulness. It is, however, a very
squeaky clean version of the hippies of that drug taking, promiscuous, militant
decade.
The first half is the
stronger although there is little narrative. The second stalls with a series of
LSD hallucinations unlike any old hippy ever experienced.
The show is an excuse
for plenty of lively choreography, (Jason Coleman) a vivid design (Eamon D'Arcy) and retro costumes. (Laurel Frank). Essentially, it is an
excuse for a bunch of memorable songs played by a fine nine-piece rock band. Hair boasts Aquarius, Donna , Frank Mills, Good Morning Starshine, Let the Sun Shine In and the title tune, Hair.
Some songs were
controversial in the 60s but are
pretty tame in the naughty noughts. Sodomy, is a sung list of sexual practices that
probably shocked middle America forty years ago but an eighty-year-old couple
beside me did not flinch. Hashish similarly, is a list of recreational
drugs that has changed little apart from the omission of Ecstasy and Crack.
Atkins includes updated
references. Including an anti-war placards saying No HoWARd. Mitchell Butel's
bogus audience member is an Aussie mum not a New Yorker. The play is known as an
anti-war piece. This is not detectable until a moving moment at the very end
when Claude (Kane Alexander)
enlists, dons a uniform and comes home in a body bag.
The Tribe of Hippies is like Ferals of our decade. Every generation thinks
it started the revolution. The Tribe lives as
outsiders, abusing drugs, big business and government, defying their parents,
avoiding work and hating war.
Several characters are
central to the loose narrative. Sassy Matt Hetherington,
plays Berger, the apparent leader while the confused
Claude is played charmingly by Alexander. Tamsin Carroll, plays Sheila, the political radical of the Tribe, great strength both in
voice and character while Butel is
hilarious as the high camp Woof.
A highlight is Patrick
Williams as Hud the African-American. His voice is rich and his presence
compelling - even in a sequined gown during Black Boys. Dead End, which he sings with the black cast
members, is a terrific, funky blues.
At the close, we are
left with the poignant message that naïve, young men died in Vietnam. Given our
current place in the world order this show is timely.
By Kate Herbert
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