Type – Rock musical
If you liked – Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell, Pippin
HAIR: The musical that electrified a generation and changed everything returns with hopes to reignite that fire.
HAIR doesn’t just revisit the 1960s — it exhumes a moment when the world seemed to be cracking apart under the weight of war, conscription, racial injustice and a growing awareness that we were poisoning our own planet. And yet, somehow, the young people at the centre of this counterculture believed, with a kind of reckless sincerity, that hope was not naïve but necessary. Watching it now, you’re reminded that idealism isn’t a relic; it’s a renewable resource.
The optimism of HAIR can be traced to one of its most famous anthems, ‘The Age of Aquarius,’ a song born from the notion that a new astrological era was dawning in the 1960s — two thousand years of harmony, understanding, and a world scrubbed clean of falsehoods and derision. It’s easy, from our present vantage point, to dismiss that sentiment as a relic buried under the rubble of everything that’s happened since. But that would miss the point. What HAIR understood — and what we forget at our peril — is that hope isn’t a prediction. It’s a decision.
The show is set in the mid-sixties. LBJ is President. The war in Vietnam is raging (and not going well). Public sentiment has turned against it. A group of hippies, living in parks and squats around East Village and Greenwich Village, New York, talk of their intention to burn their draft-cards and avoid being conscripted into the military. The background and the dreams of the main characters are expressed through songs. One of the main characters, Claude, is ambiguous about dodging the draft and tries to deal with those feelings throughout the show.
The show is packed with fabulous songs, all delivered with gusto by a high energy cast. Lead characters step forward to bring the main themes to the audience; Berger (Maxwell Simon) assures the audience that all manner of sexual practises are fun, singing ‘Sodomy’. Next, Hud (Tane Williams-Accra) vents his feelings about being black in 1960’s America with his introductory song; ‘Coloured Spade’. Claude tells us, in song, that he is from ‘Manchester England’ (Though why the only one of the group who feels he ought to do his patriotic duty, is from England, is a puzzle). Jeanie (Rosie Meader) lists all the horrible pollutants in the air but then sings “Breath deep” in her song; ‘Air’.
There are dozens of songs, all great and all delivered by a talented cast. The finale is delivered by the ensemble ‘Let the sunshine in.’ As the last notes faded, the audience rose to their feet to give a loud and well-deserved standing ovation.
Through much of the show, a large, circular, screen is used to good effect. Even before the show began, the screen displayed video of salient moments from the 60s. Zac Krause gathered footage that matched, perfectly the action on stage, from the cosmos to symbols from astrology through to helicopters hovering over the Vietnam jungle.
Harrison Cope is to be commended for spot-on lighting design, with matching moods and sudden flashes synced with the sound of gunshots. The choreography matched the high energy show throughout thanks to Sue-Ellen Shook.
Is HAIR Worth Seeing in Sydney?
The show doesn’t have a plot, as such, rather, it is a setting for songs that describe the important issues of 1960s America (and the rest of the world). Although the show was a lot of fun, the songs stilly carry import. Adding audience participation and some frivolous humour didn’t add anything to the experience. But, if you are up for some great music and a look back at a momentous time in our history, this show is well worth a look.
Tickets and Practical Info for HAIR in Sydney 🎟️
HAIR is showing at the Theatre Royal, 108 King Street, Sydney
Showing until July 12th
Tickets: https://theatreroyalsydney.com/shows/hair/
Creatives:
Gerome Ragini, James Rado and Galt MacDermot: Creators
Glen Elston (OAM:) Director
Sue-Ellen Shook: Choreographer
Paul Norton: Music Supervisor
Osibi Akerejola: Conductor. Music Director, Vocal arrangements
Harrison Cope: Lighting Designer
Jack Krause: Video Designer
Cast:
Alex Cooper: Claude
Maxwell Simon: Berger
Jack McGovern: Woof
Elizabeth Brennan: Sheila
Rosie Meader: Jeanie
Phoenix Jackson Mendoza: Tina
Tane Williams-Accra: Hud
And sixteen more.
