Hair Reviews — Page 4

There's a whole archive of HAIR photos and memorabilia here:

http://www.orlok.com/hair/holding/photographs/hair/HairPhotoIndex.html

Unless you have a while to spend clicking every link--which you might want to do, because it's a pretty cool archive--it's kind of hard to navigate. I happened to click this particular link just now, and I think these photos in offer a good snapshot of the original Broadway production:

http://www.orlok.com/hair/holding/photographs/hair/PhotosSatEvPost8-10-68.html

There are only four images there, but the first one gives you a good idea of some of the blocking, and I think the third one, of the "Supremes", gives you a good idea of the production's sense of fun (at the end of "White Boys" the three singers all parted to reveal that their three sequined dresses were, in fact, one piece). The fourth one, of Claude being tarred and feathered for "Colored Spade", shows you how far they went to illustrate some of the things they were singing about.

You can read a really fascinating analysis of the show, along with a great description of how the original production was staged, here:

http://www.michaelbutler.com/hair/holding/articles/HairArticles/scottmiller.html

Again, it's long, but well worth reading if you have the time.

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thanks for the photos! :)

So, for anyone too lazy to go over the whole thread to see each review, here's a roundup:

The New York Times from Ben Brantley is a Rave
The Associated Press is Very Positive
Variety is a Rave
AM New York is a Rave (4 Stars out of 4)
Journal News is a Rave
The New York Daily News is Positive (3 1/2 Stars out of 5)
New York Magazine is Very Positive
The New York Observer is a Rave
The New York Post is Very Positive (3 1/2 Stars out of 4)
The New York Sun is Very Positive
The Newark Star-Ledger is Very Positive
Newsday is Very Positive
NY1 is a Rave
Bloomberg.com is Mixed
Talkin' Broadway is Negative
TheaterMania is a Rave

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I really don't understand the critic's love of Groff (but then I didn't like him in Spring Awakening either). He can sing alright but it's the other stuff, oh yeah acting that, for me he seems to have a problem with. But he isn't the first critic's darling that I don't understand. Perhaps he finally grasped what he is supposed to be doing on stage. Perhaps the character of Claude reached across the book and banged it into his head.
I thought Carel Lyn Manuel was perfect in her role she was Shiela the college Hippy activist... Go figure.

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Interesting observation on Caren and Groff...I noticed the same thing. Personally, I thought they were both terrific--however, when I read through some of the reviews I did think the critics were a little too easy on Groff. The criticisms of Caren, I think, were mostly fair (I loved how she played Sheila but did think "Easy to be Hard" should have had more emotion)...I think it's just after reading so many similar reviews in a row that it seems as if the critics are overly harsh on her.

I have no doubt she'll use the criticisms to grow into her role even more. I've seen her in Rent as an ensemble member, as Maureen, and as a very last-minute Mimi, and each time she was a completely different person because she knew she needed to be. A lot of actors out there can't do that as well as she can.

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