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).

A Night In the City

Hey. Let's you and me go to...

...NEW YORK CITY

(photo by Laura Bassi)

Books: Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson, I Am Not Myself These Days by Josh Kilmer-Purcell, Candy Everybody Wants by Josh Kilmer-Purcell, The Earth, My Butt and Other Big, Round Things by Carolyn Mackler, Love and Other Four Letter Words by Carolyn Mackler, Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! by Fannie Flagg, Fly on the Wall by E. Lockhart.
TV: How To Make It In America.
Film: Manhattan Murder Mystery, August Rush, Uptown Girls, Home Alone 2: Lost In New York, A Guide to Recognising Your Saints, Kids, Little Manhattan, Raising Helen, Nick + Norah's Infinite Playlist (this is also a book!), The Perfect Man (despite the fact that this stars Hilary Duff, it is nothing like the horror that was Material Girls. My eyes still burn from that film. I wouldn't do that to you).

...LONDON

 (photo by Jeff Hahn)

Books: White Teeth by Zadie Smith, Slam by Nick Hornby, 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson, Rain by Kate Le Vann, Face Value by Catherine Johnson, Finding Violet Park by Jenny Valentine, Broken Soup by Jenny Valentine, Cutting It by Jasmin Oliver.
TV:   ...
Film: An Education, Brick Lane, Bridget Jones' Diary, Notting Hill.

All the books and films listed above are good. And what's more, they truly pull you right into the heart of their cities, letting you feel like you're there. Better than reading a travel guide, no?

But these lists are very thin on the ground, especially in regards to London interestingly enough (guess it shows how much I want to go to New York...), so if you have any recommendations of your own, leave 'em in the comments! Also, if you have any suggestions for other cities leave those in the comments too, or email, whichever is fine.