REVIEW - HAIR THE MUSICAL

HAIR at The Gielgud Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London

Box Office: call 0844 482 5130 or visit www.hairthemusical.co.uk

Tickets: £16.50 - £65.00

Performances: Mon-Sat 7:30pm, Thurs & Sat 2:30pm

BY: HANNAH MARSHALL

So I have pretty much been ridiculously excited about seeing Hair since my tickets arrived two months ago. The Tony Award winning revival of the smash hit rock musical opened here in the UK on April 1st and the original Broadway cast is currently spreading the love at the Gielgud theatre.

Following the story of Claude, who is part of a group of hippies living in a USA torn apart by the highly controversial Vietnam War, and facing the prospect of being conscripted themselves, Hair has been described by the Daily Telegraph as ‘a beacon of hope in a fallen world.’ The show is certainly bursting with energy and has some truly beautiful, funny and touching moments. In comparison with other shows on the West End right now, it offers a truly unremitting affirmation of the power of belief in love, life, equality and freedom. The cast’s commitment towards the message of the show, (the lead Gavin Creel is a co-founder of the equality charity BroadwayImpact and the cast has also taken part in protests for gay marriage across the USA) is infectious and you’ll find yourself wanting to jump out of your seat and join in, something which is very much encouraged, or going home to paint a giant hippie mural for your bedroom (something which I definitely didn’t just spend the last day and a half doing).

Even more astounding than the show’s inspiring message is the talent of its cast. The entire ensemble delivers a poised and polished performance, with each individual pouring everything into every single moment of the show. For all the passion on stage the show never loses its clarity and the precision of the dance and quality of the vocals will blow you away. Favourite sings of mine included the raucous “I Got Life,” the classic “Frank Mills” and the emotional “Where Do I Go?” Although the cast worked excellently as a group, special mentions have to go to Allison Case for her charming performance as flower-child Crissy, Kacie Sheik for her kooky interpretation of Jeanie and John Moauro as an outstanding member of the ensemble or “tribe”.

The set is another great feature, with rainbow coloured scaffolding allowing the cast to climb over the audience. However, I’m particularly in love with the vibrant costumes and not surprisingly with the big big hair. So if you see a girl wandering around wearing harem pants and a kaftan with as many flowers as possible attached to her scalp, it’s probably me, (or somebody else that’s seen Hair). Don’t judge.

Another great selling point for the show is its interactivity, Will Swenson, as the effortlessly cool Berger, regularly ad libs or enters into dialogue with the audience to great comic effect. Even if you’re sitting in the grand circle prepare to be climbed upon, sung to and danced with by enthusiastic hippies. The end of the show features a curtain call in which the audience is invited to dance and sing the final number on stage with the cast. It’s a truly awesome experience to watch the entire theatre come together to celebrate the mood of the show, and singing “Let the Sun Shine In” with what felt like a whole load of new friends was definitely one of the highlights of my evening.

Whilst the show is not for the faint hearted, many people will be aware of the controversy caused by the “nude scene” at the end of act one when the show first opened in 1967, these controversial scenes are either so tastefully done, or so hilarious that you forget your inhibitions. Many of the points that the show makes about the importance of equality and universal love and respect, that were so revolutionary in the 1960s, are still ones that many people need to sit up and take notice of. Perhaps the fools of groups such as the BNP and the EDL (who sadly are protesting in my home town next month) would think more positively if they could embrace the message of a show as beautiful and truthful as Hair.


Peace and Love,
Hannah

Websites of Interest:
http://www.broadwayimpact.com A grass roots charity fighting for gay equality in the USA, co-founded by Hair’s own Gavin Creel (Claude)
http://www.hairbroadway.com Watch the dance party from the end of the shows and find out more about the cast on their blog and video bios

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=111567445524505&ref=ts Join the protest against the EDL’s march on 1st May!