HAIR today

[chrisampm2]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 12:40am

I just got back from Hair, which was sweet. The cast is committed; their voices are beautiful; the songs are classic; the costumes are pretty; the choreography finds a nice balance between invigorating movement and street simplicity; and it's in the park. I recommend seeing it.

I wish the director had found a way to make this lovely cast seem like a tribe. While it may be difficult, but not impossible, to make the show feel as fresh, daring, and shocking as it was forty years ago, the least she could have done was let us feel that this was a group of kids who broke the rules, slept together, had sex together, were a family. They seem to like each other a whole lot, but there is little dirty, street energy up there. If there were more, oddly enough, I think the show would be more likely to move and prosper, which seems to be much of the point of this revival.

The chatter about replacing Groff and Swenson is ridiculous. Groff is committed and engaged, if still wrong, and Swenson gets the show better than most, even if he's too old to be in high school. No, they fit in well with this pretty production which, like the Chorus Line revival, is a reasonable facsimile that makes the original seem quaint.

Updated On: 7/31/08 at 12:40 AM

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 12:41am

Updated On: 5/2/09 at 12:41 AM

[SNAFU]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 12:51am

Swenson is great in this. He does "get" the character and he has the audience. Groff is committed but wrong is wrong.

[chrisampm2]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 1:03am

Yes LPF, and that would include me. I was kinda going for a "if they move this thing, it ain't gonna last"sorta thing. But now, to prove that I was in on a silly pun, I've gone blatantly negative. See what you made me do!
Updated On: 7/31/08 at 01:03 AM

[Scott Briefer]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 2:15am

I went to tonight's performance having read much of the buzz from this and other websites. I couldn't disagree more with some of the key criticisms I've read.

First, I love this production of Hair. And, I think the company and the direction are exactly why I feel this way. I think it would be foolish to direct a production of Hair today that's "shocking". We have come a long way since Hair debuted over 40 years ago. Given the material it simply wouldn't be possible to have the same effect today.

Also, I think copying the original production would be a foolish mistake. Accepting that today's Hair would have to be both more "acted" and less "spontaneous" is a given. Where one can still make an impact with the material is in choosing to be honest. AND, I think that is exactly what makes this production so striking. This Hair clearly honors that it can both be a period piece and in being so, be relevant.

I thought everyone - and I include Mr. Groff - was glorious. They are not cast from the streets of 1969 East Village. (Many of the original cast members weren't either, but at least the impression was possible.) Today, this would be impossible. They are clearly actors with extraordinary talent trying to interpret the piece with integrity. I for one think that they succeeded brilliantly.

This Hair has got life!

Updated On: 7/31/08 at 02:15 AM

[chrisampm2]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 6:04pm

I am glad you love the production, I wish it well. While I disagree with the belief that trying to honor the original intent of the show would be foolish, I agree wholeheartedly that the first obligation of any production is to be honest. You and I may simply have different ideas about whether that was accomplished.

None of the performances or directorial choices is forced or cynical. Yet I didn't buy any of the relationships. The writing moment-to-moment doesn't offer easy help in this regard. The relationship between Sheila and Berger must be established and tested over her gift to him of a yellow shirt. That sets a high degree of difficulty Paulus doesn't try to scale, so Ms Manuel's heartache and Mr Swenson's rejection and apology rang hollow to me. Mr Groff's love of Berger and Sheila and Antonioni and the Beatles also wafted by without quite landing. This is where a director is necessary to makes us understand what is at stake beyond the momentary glories of the numbers for the characters, the show, and for us - over and above the life of Claude. The final numbers finally resonate because we do understand that his life is at stake and it's thrilling and moving. Until then, I don't know what the similarities and differences are between 40 years ago and now and without that, I have a hard time determining what is honest in the show.

But again, I love the show, like these actors, and wish it many fans like you.

[Scott Briefer]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 6:56pm

I love your response. Extremely intelligent. Please forgive my question, if you feel it's inappropriate: How old are you? And, were you able to see the original?

Now, having asked that, I'd like to explain why I asked that. Much of what you wrote, I agree with, but honor that it is problematic to the material. I do agree with you that some of the motivations seem forced, but I don't believe that the solution is in more connected actors and / or better direction. Hair's book is sketchy at best. I know that Mr. Rado regrets having once said that Hair was a bookless musical, but there is some truth to his comment.

To enjoy Hair as much as I did, there had to be a willing suspension of disbelief that comes from accepting that we are seeing moments in these people's lives and that there is little continuity that we have come to expect from most plays or book musicals.

So, I do agree with many of your comments although perhaps I process them differently. Most importantly, I think your comments intelligent.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 8:41pm

The weakness of Paulus' production is the fact that you're drawn to how iffy the script is.

[jaystarr]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 8:45pm

Sorry to threadjack...but I read this article from playbill:
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/119948.html

One indication of a possible future for the current Central Park summer staging of Hair is the title's appearance on the website for The Broadway Booking Office, a company responsible for presenting, booking and marketing of theatrical productions. A representative for BBO stated that they are currently soliciting interest from touring markets.

While an official announcement has not been made by the Public Theater, which presents Shakespeare in the Park at the outdoor Delacorte Theater, Playbill.com has learned that there is talk within the Public of hope for and interest in a commercial transfer of the groundbreaking Hair.

Does anyone thinks that CIRCLE in The SQUARE would be a perfect venue? I am hoping to catch this show this summer after reading all the good things about the show... I might just pay $165.00....(i'm considering?)

J*
Updated On: 7/31/08 at 08:45 PM

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 8:51pm

The Circle's a bit small for the production.

[SDav 10495]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 9:35pm

Thanks for the thoughts...now the million dollar question: How was the line today, as far as you could tell?

[scaryclowns223]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 11:06pm

I was actually thinking Circle in the Square would be PERFECT.

The Delacorte stage is tiny- probably not too much bigger than the one at Circle. The only problem would be that they would probably lose the onstage band (does Circle have a pit? I'm not sure.)- but it could DEFINITELY work at Circle in the Square. In fact, I think that it is the one theater that would do the production justice.

Here's to hoping it transfers!

[SDav 10495]

Posted: 7/31/08 at 11:14pm

I would love a transfer if only to see HAIR get the proper marketing treatment it deserves. I once did a poster and Playbill set for HAIR as part of a design concentration in which I tried to deviate as much as possible from the original graphic design without losing some sense of the show's tone...I'd love to see a full-on ad campaign that attempted the same. (I get the Public's annual "clean" aesthetic, but it's so wimpy...wouldn't hang that on my wall.)

[chrisampm2]

Posted: 8/1/08 at 12:24am

Dear SF,
First, thank you for the kind comment. I too respect your well-stated opinion and treasure this kind of reasoned back-and-forth. To answer your question I'm 39 and network of relationships and stakes is presented dramatically despite the challenge of missing a more traditional "well-made" narrative.

Hair has a structure, albeit well-hidden. Berger presents the world of the piece very directly: anarchic, ecstatic, unreliable, loving, anti-establishment, confrontational, sexual. He is a leader of a group of like-minded kids. Claude is one of them. He gets a draft notice. CRISIS. This threatens the group, and of course, Claude's own life. Contrary to the rest of the group, he takes the call-to-arms seriously. What is he going to do, where is he going to go? The stakes rise to a highly dramatic climax.
I would follow all this with bated breath if I believed in these characters and their world, their beliefs and their relationships as presented by the authors.

In sum, Scott, my problem isn't with the piece. I am almost embarrassed to say I preferred the LA Reprise version with Steven Webber as Berger and Sam Harris as Claude (talk about too old for high school and that production was a spit in the eye to earlier posts that said Claudes NEVER take off their clothes) . The L:A concert was bumpier but musically thrilling. Last night, I wanted some anarchy, some ecstasy, some idiosyncrasy. I got much of this from Swenson but he's pretty alone up there in that department. Groff and Manuel are earnest. I got very little of a sense of a group with multiple lines of connection, resentment, lust, airiness, political commitment. It was all moment-to-moment. I got the right vibes from several of the more offbeat ensemble members - Burkhardt, Ramillard, in particular.
Sorry to go on so long, but I hope that clarifies my opinion.

In response to the other posts, I too think Circle in the Square might be great for the piece but not the production. Armitage's way of grouping the ensemble works for me and would need to be completely rethought for that stage configuration.

And about the line, I recommend the stand-by line on days that threaten rain. I think we all got in last night. YAY!


Updated On: 8/1/08 at 12:24 AM