Moyse Hall was bustling with people and laughter as I entered the theatre for the Arts Undergraduate Theatre Society’s production of Hair!, a welcome change from the negative forty-degree weather outside and a true testament to the play that would follow. My friend and I, as two self-proclaimed nerds for musical theatre, had been buzzing with excitement to see this show all week: needless to say, we got what we came for and so much more.
The AUTS’ production of Hair! brings all the elements of what made the original musical so good and breathes a new life into it: one that is comforting, warm, and altogether familiar.
Hair! was originally written and performed during the revolutionary period of the 1960s, by a generation known for its eccentricity. The writers, Gerome Ragni and James Rado, fashioned the two main characters in their reflections: Claude (Milo Chauveau) is pensive and introverted, while Berger (Julien DaSilva) takes the role of an irreverent free spirit. Caught up in an unconventional love triangle between the two, while also pushing a politicised narrative forward, is NYU-going demonstrator Sheila (Davis Dewan). The story primarily centres around Claude’s struggle with the draft for the Vietnam War, torn between his loyalty to the hippie counterculture and the wishes of his conservative parents. Despite it being more than fifty years since the musical’s original conception, Hair! grapples with issues surrounding race, capitalism, and war, making it an engaging watch even today.
Despite it being more than fifty years since the musical’s original conception, Hair! grapples with issues surrounding race, capitalism, and war, making it an engaging watch even today.
Some viewers, especially young, non-American viewers, like myself, may need to brush up on their U.S. history before watching. Hair! is best appreciated after learning more about the culture that the play is a direct result of, since it elevates what is already a radically entertaining musical into a radically important one. At the same time, the kaleidoscopic, high-production value of the songs enables the audience to connect to the music without necessarily knowing the historical context behind it. All of the colourful, vibrant, and unapologetically camp elements onstage mix together to transport viewers into another world entirely, regardless of age or background.
From the first second of the opening number, Hair! strikes its audience with vivid colours and instrumentals. Director Abi Sanie creates a tangible world that reflects the play’s more conceptual themes through its rich, almost lucid production and dramatic movements. “Age of Aquarius” sets the scene for its sixties setting immediately, with all of the cast members entering styled in everything from bell-bottoms to tie-dye—and of course, with outrageous hair. “Manchester, England” is the perfect introduction to the wide-eyed and naive Claude, who dreams of the eponymous city as a getaway from the grim realities of his home in Flushing, New York. Songs like “Hashish” and “Sodomy” are still politically charged; not to mention the partial nudity that may be risque even to modern audiences.
Director Abi Sanie creates a tangible world that reflects the play’s more conceptual themes through its rich, almost lucid production and dramatic movements.
The main cast and company bring a distinct flair to the play that is hard to find, and even harder to replicate. Chauveau’s Claude is arrestingly earnest, drawing tears and laughter from the audience alike. I was particularly touched by their rendition of “Where Do I Go,” and the play’s final moments in which we find out that he couldn’t escape his fate. The supremely talented company brings the show to its final closure with the hair-raising “Let The Sun Shine In,” leaving listeners with goosebumps on their skin and more to think about than when they first entered the theatre. Their voices come together in perfect harmony, reinforcing the value of community that is stressed throughout the entire show.
Hair! is more than just a musical. It’s a cultural phenomenon. It’s extravagantly larger than life, and overwhelmingly real at the same time. It’s a reminder of a society that we once lived in, and a reflection of what still hasn’t changed. The AUTS’ production of Hair! brings all the elements of what made the original musical so good and breathes a new life into it: one that is comforting, warm, and altogether familiar.
