Hair Reviews — Page 5

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#101

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 12:00am

I really hope I get to see Hair this summer, can't wait!
But to throw in my 2 cents about WSS, I loved that too. Partially because I had only been exposed to a crappy student/regional production and I couldn't sit through the movie... This revival was magical (imo) and I loved it. End of story.

#102

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 12:00am

A- in Entertainment Weekly:

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20269079,00.html

"There's only one way to fully experience this radiant revival of Hair, and that's from the stage of Broadway?s Hirschfeld Theatre, grooving beside about 200 fellow hippie wannabes to the buoyant strains of the closing number, 'Let the Sun Shine In.'

. . .

Without those terrific little pop tarts (as they're dubbed by a tourist character in the show), Hair would be little more than a trippy rock concert. It lacks a strong story line: Claude gets drafted, Claude goes to Vietnam, let the sun shine in. The sheer diversity of Galt MacDermot's music ? folk, pop, R&B, acid rock ? can be jarring, groundbreaking as it was in 1967. And the protracted Act 2 hallucination ? featuring Abe Lincoln, Aretha Franklin, and a trio of homicidal nuns ? will harsh anyone's buzz. Yet the antiwar message still resonates all too well, as do Gerome Ragni and James Rado's lyrics, Timothy Leary references notwithstanding. (Pity that so much is overamplified, because you want to hear the irreverent words of 'Sodomy' and 'Black Boys.')"

#103

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 12:04am

From Frank Scheck's review:

"I personally... was the lucky recipient of a tight hug from one of the comely young actresses."

That probably secured his rave right there. Because if there's one thing all critics want, it's a good hug. Except for Charles Isherwood, who would most likely punch those dirty hippies in the face if they tried, and for John Simon, whose body is covered in a gelatinous glaze that kills on contact.

"Y'know, I think Bertolt Brecht was rolling in his grave."
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum

#104

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 12:20am

PJ, still haven't heard what were your thoughts on BILLY ELLIOT.
HAIR is a fantastic experience. While WEST SIDE STORY is a better-written show, HAIR got a much stronger production. It's so great. I'm thrilled about Brantley's review.

"Some people can thrive and bloom living life in a living room, that's perfect for some people of one hundred and five. But I at least gotta try, when I think of all the sights that I gotta see, all the places I gotta play, all the things that I gotta be at"

#105

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 1:09am

Bustopher-
That is a really below the belt thing to say. Could it not be that he not only enjoyed the production, but got a hug that was just the cherry on top?

Way to come off as a total d-bag.

http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer

#106

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 1:45am

Congratulations to the "kids" and "adults" of HAIR on these well-deserved reviews!

My conviction: I wish more and more audiences enjoy you long, straight, curly, fuzzy, snaggy, shaggy, ratty, matty, oily, greasy, fleecy, shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen, knotted, polka-dotted, twisted, beaded, braided, powdered, flowered, and confettied, bangled, tangled, spangled, and spaghettied.

#107

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 2:41am

I haven't seen HAIR (not until May) but I've seen WSS twice and I hope the former wins.

#108

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 5:19am

Hair has already played Boston -- without being banned. It played about 15 years ago on some kind of tour. It was HORRID. I remember seeing it and being entirely bored. (But...anyway....)

I am simply LOVING the Brantley review...among others. I am just thrilled about his beautiful write-up -- quite the love letter, eh? It is always gratifying to see your own thoughts expressed by others as well. Interesting mention/comparison of Groff v Creel, too. I was wondering if anyone would bring it up.

At this point, I can only base my opinion from the park production, which I adored beyond words. (Only 2 1/2 weeks until the "real thing".) If West Side Story wins best revival, it will be a sheer and utter travesty. While a superior SHOW to Hair, it is not a superior PRODUCTION....not even close. And yes, I saw it, and yes, I WANTED to love it -- WSS holds a very special place in my heart...a place that's a little darker now, DUE to the lackluster and souless b'way version. (A little hyperbole, if you will.)

Ultimately, however, is that Hair gets the long and loved run that it truly deserves....here's hoping!!!

If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

#109

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 6:17am

I'm absolutely thrilled by the wonderful reviews. I saw the show twice in the park this summer & was just elevated to dizzying heights

AND ANOTHER GREAT REVIEW....

The New York Post is a RAVE

AN AMAZING 'HAIR' DAY
4 out of 4 stars ****

I have zero nostalgia for the 1960s, but I love this "Hair."
Everything aligned per fectly when Diane Paulus resurrected the 1967 epoch- making show in Central Park last summer. Not only did the production throb with life, but having it play under the stars, for free, elevated it to a near-mythical level. Even the audience participation came across like an expression of community rather than cheeseball pandering.

Transferring that spell to the crowded confines of the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (and charging Broadway admission prices) was risky, but "Hair" has emerged triumphant....

With breathtaking precision and conciseness, they dispatched spoofs of Tin Pan Alley, country and doo-wop along with hazy psychedelic explorations, folk ballads and full-on rock anthems. It's a tall order for any troupe, especially since more than a dozen actors get distinctive solos.

This "Hair" bench has great depth. Some stick out, of course -- Swenson, Gavin Creel as Claude, Andrew Kober as Margaret Mead, Allison Case as Crissy -- but the musical's singular glory lies in the generosity with which it allows so many to shine.

Inviting the audience to rush the stage at the end is very much in that spirit. Paulus doesn't shy away from the inevitable crash landing after Berger cries out, "I wanna stay high forever!" But she also helps us understand how important it is to fully bask in a moment.
"Hair" is a musical for the ages because it's a musical for the now.

elisabeth.vincentelli@nypost.com

https://www.nypost.com/seven/04012009/entertainment/theater/an_amazing_hair_day_162328.htm

< Patty Duke (the original Neely O'Hara) & me (March 8, 2010)

Updated On: 4/1/09 at 06:17 AM

#110

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 6:35am

The NY Daily News is a RAVE

Four out of Five Stars ****
'Hair' revival's high fun

Do lyrics get goofier than "Gliddy glup gloopy, nibby nabby noopy, la la la lo lo"? But in the flower-powered free-for-all called "Hair," such gibberish is eloquent hippie-speak for a good high time. Which is a perfect description for the revival of the show that opened last night on Broadway, 41 years after its initial run...

Presented last summer by the Public Theater in Central Park, the production has been tweaked and is tighter and brighter in its new home at the Hirschfeld Theatre. Rather than on grassy areas outdoors, the youths now gather at a theater, which has been given a psychedelic vibe by designers Scott Pask (set) and Kevin Adams (lights). Michael McDonald did the period clothes. But don't expect these flower children to stay rooted to the stage. If you're seated on the aisle, count on them to be in your face or your lap or, as one flaxen theatergoer found, braiding your tresses.

That loose intimacy is key to the show. Diane Paulis's exuberant staging lets it all hang out and Karole Armitage's choreography is colorfully kinetic.

The three new principals who've joined the cast are excellent additions. Gavin Creel is superb as the naïve Claude, who wants peace but goes to war, and his moving "Where Do I Go" is an emotional highlight. Sasha Allen heralds the age of "Aquarius" with powerhouse vocals, and Caissie Levy brings sweet earthiness to "Easy to Be Hard" and "Good Morning, Starshine."

Returning standouts are Will Swenson, as the trippy-sexy Berger; Bryce Ryness, as the Mick Jagger-mad Woof; and Allison Case, whose guileless "Frank Mills" is pure delight...

jdziemianowicz@nydailynews.com

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/arts/2009/04/01/2009-04-01_hair_revivals_high_fun.html

< Patty Duke (the original Neely O'Hara) & me (March 8, 2010)

#111

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 6:43am

To the cast of HAIR~ the Best Musical Revival this Season!

re: Hair Reviews

Congratulations! Nice to see this first thing in the morning!

#112

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 6:53am

Well deserved raves : )

I'm a professional. Whenever something goes wrong on stage, I know how to handle it so no one ever remembers. I flash my %#$&. "Jayne just sat there while Gina flailed around the stage like an idiot."

#113

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 7:23am

WAT...You're a great guy, and I respect your opinion, but on this thread, we're celebrating the stellar reviews that Hair is getting. You have a right to like WSS, but can you not use this thread to express your dislike of Hair?
Thanks...

"Y'all have a GRAND day now"

#114

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 8:42am

I may have missed something, but what I don't understand is that if WAT did not like the show, why did he go to see it 3 times?

Just give the world Love. - S. Wonder

#115

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 8:55am

uncageg - You didn't miss anything. But it's just the tip of the iceberg.

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

#116

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 8:59am

I may have missed something, but what I don't understand is that if WAT did not like the show, why did he go to see it 3 times?

i think he sees everything multiple times at different locations. I guess someone has to keep the economy of Broadway thriving.

#117

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 10:15am

I am thrilled to the brim by these reviews!

And can I just say how much I am *loving* Elisabeth Vincentelli?

What a great addition to the Post.

Long live this GLORIOUS revival!

I hope Will Swenson wins Best Leading Actor in a Musical. He completely inhabits Berger and we all fall in love with him as a result. This is a truly distinctive performance. Those Billy Elliots are just the beginning of a string of replacements. One is already leaving in about a month because he's too tall and a replacement has already joined.

I hope these HAIR reviews pack the Hirschfeld for a long, long time.

"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

#118

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 10:28am

Could it be....
WAT = Louise Kennedy?

Those Blocked: SueStorm. N2N Nate. Good riddence to stupid! Rad-Z, shill begone!

#119

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 10:34am

I'm very glad to see these raves for HAIR, and it sounds like it's been given a first-class production for a new generation.

HAIR may not be West Side Story as far as the overall writing, but don't be so quick to discount those songs. They are FAR more powerful than most of you are giving them credit for being.

Pop songs on the surface (and many #1 hits, something you just don't see anymore), but for a generation they helped define the voice of the '60s. They went from a small underground theatre, to Broadway, into the hands of major recording artists, to the top of the charts. And stayed there for a long time.

Comparing this score to WSS is like comparing the work of Aaron Copland to the work of the Beatles. Why bother?

You may have a taste preference of one over the other, but it's like saying I prefer spaghetti to daffodils.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#120

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 10:49am

Foster- I completely agree. Vincentelli is quickly becoming my favorite critic out there right now.

"Sing the words, Patti!!!!" Stephen Sondheim to Patti LuPone.

#121

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 10:51am

I'm just glad I already got my tickets for this summer. I've a feeling they will now be bumped up to premium pricing.

"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

#122

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 11:13am

Congrats to all those connected with HAIR. Amazing (and well-deserved) reviews.

On a side note, a while ago there was a question about first row and based on the comments here that it was too close and the stage was too high, I bought TDF seats instead (which were up in the mezz). When I got to the theatre, I walked down to the front row to check it out myself, and cursed all those who advised not to get those seats ... they are fabulous! So if anybody wants to be real close to the action, don't be afraid of front row.

#123

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 1:28pm

Slightly off topic, did anyone else see Elisabeth Vincentelli on Reidel's show? She is quite a character!

On topic, in another less crowded year Allison Case would probably get a featured actress nom.

#124

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 1:45pm

So far, I've agreed with most of Vincentelli's reviews wholeheartedly. She's a great writer and critic.

Is Swenson considered Lead or Featured? He definitely has a great chance at winning Featured.

#125

re: Hair Reviews

Posted: 4/1/09 at 1:50pm

Everyone is currently below the title. So right now, everyone is Featured.

Berger is "the" Lead in my opinion, at least in this production. I would also consider Claude a Lead.

We'll see what the producers decide in regards to petitioning anyone for the Lead categories.

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