Review by Suzanne Tate
Opening night of Hair in Melbourne on Friday was an immersive, transcendent experience, bringing to life the rebellious counterculture of the 1960s.
‘Hair’ does not fit the mould of a standard musical theatre show in several ways. While there are several key characters around whom the story and the ‘tribe’ are built — such as the tragic Claude (played by Alex Cooper), struggling to find his direction and the only member of the tribe who falls victim to the draft; the charismatic, free-spirited Berger (played by Maxwell Simon), who is the central figure of the tribe; and Shiela (portrayed by Elizabeth Brennan), the passionate activist who is in a relationship with them both — in many ways, ‘Hair’ is an ensemble performance. The entire cast was very strong vocally and as actors and dancers. Most of the members of the tribe perform multiple solo numbers, and the entire cast is on stage for the majority of the show. The tribe felt very authentic, with the majority of the characters ringing true to life, despite their often-outrageous personalities, as they fit within the context of the show.
In contrast, the character of Jeanie, played ably by Rosie Meader — a pregnant woman suffering for her unrequited love of Claude — did not feel as convincing. Meader played the character effectively, as written, with talent and skill, but the character itself felt much more like a caricature than a real person; her naïveté doesn’t feel as believable to me. Meader did an excellent job in particular with the performance of the number ‘Air’. Cooper, Simon and Brennan were very authentic in their roles and provided powerful vocal performances. Brennan’s ‘Easy to Be Hard’ was especially haunting. Clay Darius as Hud also provided a memorable performance, both for his amazing vocals and the confident attitude he brought to the character. Overall, the cast was consistently entertaining and presented a very tight performance, including the dance numbers, which were choreographed by Sue-Ellen Shook. In some scenes, there was little space on stage, but the dancing never seemed cramped. The choreography made effective use of the space available and enhanced the story. Physically, the show seems demanding, with the cast suffering for their art — I noticed a lot of heavily bruised legs.
Another unusual aspect of this show is the distinct difference in style between the two Acts. Act 1 introduces the characters and immerses the audience in their story, a feeling enhanced through characters frequently breaking the fourth wall to engage with the audience. Act 1 is full of short, chaotic musical numbers that come thick and fast, flowing almost continuously from one to the next, which weave the context for the members of the tribe and the life they lead. Like watching an opera in a language you don’t understand, sometimes the lyrics in these frenetic ensemble numbers are hard to understand, but the feeling and storytelling come through regardless. There are twenty songs in Act 1, many brief and running together, but classics such as ‘Aquarius’, the title song ‘Hair’, and ‘Easy to Be Hard’ stand out.
Act 2 contains only thirteen songs, including the well-known ‘Good Morning Starshine’, and much of it is focused on a crazy acid trip from Claude’s perspective, as he is tormented by his fear of being drafted and dying in Vietnam. This scene was extremely powerful, enhanced by a highly effective use of video footage, lighting and projection. The lighting was designed by Harrison Cope and video content by Zac Krause. While technology is becoming more prevalent in modern musical theatre, it is often an additional flourish rather than a core necessary component. In this case, however, the use of projected video brought a whole new level to the ‘Hair’ experience, particularly in Act 2. The last part of the Act follows Claude as he comes down from the trip and moves forward with his life, with the last scenes focused on the consequences of his decisions.
The set was contemporary and minimalist, consisting of a heavy metal lighting truss in the form of a large rectangular arch at the back of the stage, combined in the opening numbers with a large suspended metal circle where visually impactful scenes, such as a galaxy or the full moon, were projected. The live band was placed under the arch at the back of the stage, sometimes hidden by a scrim for projection, but often visible. There were also two metal staircases on wheels that were used to add levels and height to the scene and highlight particular characters during their vocal numbers. These and other basic forms were wheeled around by the cast to vary the space for different scenes. Striking visual effects were created with minimal resources, such as a scene at the end of Act 1 where a silk parachute is used with a high level of creativity and control to great visual effect. The only set items alluding to a concrete location in New York were signage at the back of the stage for locations such as the subway station, a diner, and the Waverley Theatre. More was not needed — the atmosphere was created effectively and the time and location were clear, enhanced by the highly authentic costumes designed by Karla Erenbots.
I am sure that many people in the audience, such as myself and my guest, were revisiting a show that they had seen possibly several times before. To them, the shocks were not new, and it was about a fresh new take on a loved show, about a historically significant event. I suspect this revival, however, has come at a time when the younger, new audiences are less aware of the historical time portrayed in the show, and I am curious how they will receive it.
The production team have made the decision to retain the original content containing potentially problematic content such as racial slurs, nudity, drug references and confronting imagery, and provide a content warning at the front of the programme. If you are seeing ‘Hair’ for the first time, be aware that this type of content will be included. Two people sitting near me did not return after interval, perhaps shocked by the nude finale to Act 1?
‘Hair’, directed by Glenn Elston, was a powerful theatre experience. I was lucky enough to see ‘Hair’ on Broadway ten years ago, and dance on the stage in the finale, but I think this performance will stay with me even longer. If you are confident you won’t be left clutching your pearls by a show focused on the free love and drug-induced lifestyle of the flower-power counter-culture of the 60s, get yourself to the Athenaeum for a fantastic show.
https://www.hairthemusical.com.au/
Photo credit: Ben Fon
