It seems that recently I’ve been in quite the quandry when it comes to shows. So far it’s been that the production is top notch, but the cast struggle with a bad script, or the cast aren’t too crash hot, but the production is just so darn fun that it makes it impossible to dislike it. I’ve been waiting for a peice of theatre to come along and knock my socks off with cast, production and the actual text itself. Sadly, I’m still waiting. However, I’m not exactly sure why.
Hair first premiered Off Broadway in 1967. It was an extremely controversial show, featuring foul language, drugs, sex, nudity and *gasp* rock and African American music. It was the perfect anti-war, anti-establishment, anti-everything theatrical masterpiece that blew everyone away. Critics seemed to love it, whilst state governments did not. Regional productions were cancelled due to the nudity and use of the American flag, and a bomb was even thrown at a theatre where Hair was showing. When it first played in London in 1968 it had a similar response. Critics loved it and it had a marked effect on London theatre, ostensibly stopping stage censorship. All this said, I just don’t really get it.
Hair, to me, is a vast collection of songs tied extremely loosely to a plot surrounding a commune of hippies and the vietnam war. Firstly, there seems to be no quality control around the songs themselves. Some songs are fantastic, while others barely warrant a listen. Secondly, most of te songs have little reason to be in the story, apart from being vaguely anti. The way these songs are presented are by turning a phrase and bursting into song, much like Godspell, which doesn’t do the musical any favours. However, this is what is often lauded as the brilliance of Hair. It breaks most theatrical and musical conventions. It has provided much fodder for academics to talk about the musical influences, the significance of particular scenes (the nude scene, especially), the sloppy style and every other aspect of the show and the performing of the show. Still, I just don’t feel the same things that other people seem to feel when they see this production.
That being said, this is the strongest cast I have ever seen on stage. Every single member of the tribe was an unbelievably strong singer and actor, and the movement and staging of the entire thing was flawless. The ‘leads,’ if you can call them that, were each perfectly suited to the role. Will Swenson as Berger was a force to be reckoned with. He dominates the stage as a kind of leader to the Tribe. He has an intensity and something bordering on rage bubbling beneath the surface that makes him absolutely electric to watch on stage. Gavin Creel as Claude and Caissie Levy as Sheila had two of the most impressive voices I’ve ever seen on stage. I have never seen anyone match the purity of both of these singers. Sasha Allen as Dionne was everything Dionne should be: a black powerhouse who could belt the roof off the theatre. Andrew Kober took the cake with a comic tour de force as both Dad and Margaret Mead. His comic acting was amazing and it was quite impressive how well he could seamlessly slip back in with the Tribe, having to constantly go between Tribe and ‘straight’ characters. All in all, the cast were amazing and instead of gushing over the entire cast, I shall leave it at that. I think it’s fairly clear why they chose to tour this cast with the production, as I don’t think I could have seen a better cast made of west-end performers.
Also, I think Hair is a show that performers can really appreciate. While I didn’t particularly like the show, I was wishing that I was onstage with the cast. It is a show where the cast are so united as a group and so immersed into their performances that it makes other performers jealous. RENT is another show where this seems to happen. Another incredibly flawed show that looks like an absolute joy to be in (which I got to experience first hand in Sydney). Another show that critics seemed to go mental for that I didn’t particularly get.
I did enjoy Hair. I just didn’t enjoy it as much as I feel I should have.
I guess some shows just aren’t for me.
Hair is playing at the Gielgud Theatre from 14 April. Check out their facebook page for cheap tickets!
