GIELGUD THEATRE

Great night out: Guaranteed!
Morning after effect: Good Morning Starshine...
Recommend to friends: especially flower power, free loving hipsters
See again: Most definitely

In my late teens I strongly aspired to all things hippie-fied. Watching the film version Hair only further convinced me that I had been born in the wrong era. Somewhere along the line my peace, love and brown rice dreams faded, as did my tie dye attire. But oh boy was I excited for Hair?s transfer from Broadway to the West End.

The attractive American cast deliver an exuberant revival of the 1960?s anti-war musical. Beneath the psychedelic spectacle the show?s Sixties-era anti-Vietnam theme is still as pertinent today as it ever it was, with the nation?s young once more embroiled in foreign wars.

With colourfully clad hippies sprawling into the aisles and the stalls, some even spreading their love in the Grand circle the Gielgud appears to be in chaos. But it becomes clear upon closer inspection that the ostensibly chaotic show is absolutely perfectly choreographed, each move carefully orchestrated to draw the audience into the enthusiasm, idealism, rebelliousness and contagious Joie de vivre of the show?s protagonists. The production does not shy away from the darker side of the hippy movement in the second half, with the undercurrents of anger, fear, and powerlessness bubbling alongside the peace and free-love sentiments.

Will Swenson, plays the king of the hippies, Berger with untamed charisma. Swenson?s George of the Jungle-style, bare-bottomed leap off the stage onto the arm rests of the startled lady in the front row made me content with my bird?s eye view Grand Circle seats.

Galt MacDermot's score remains as irresistible as ever. "Aquarius", "Good Morning Starshine", "Aint Got No" and "Let the Sunshine In", are delivered to perfection by the very talented cast and terrific onstage band. Sasha Allen lung-busting vocals run from caramel smooth to honeyed foghorn. Darius Nicols's gives a notable rendition of "I'm Black, I've got no".

Diane Paulus's production is thrilling, funny and ultimately moving in its rather stunning conclusion. I left the Gielgud Theatre with a daisy behind my ear, singing "gliddy glub gloopy, Nibby nabby noopy, La la la lo lo".

 

Audience:

Hair broke new ground for musical theatre in its 1968 debut on London stage in its depiction of the hippie cultures radical views on sex and drugs and the Vietnam War. Although less shocking in 2010, these free loving hippies do all end up in their birthday suits, young and sensitive viewers may want to take note. Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical may not be appropriate for young theatergoers under the age of 12.

If you are not into audience participation shy away from the aisle seats. The cast deliberately draw the audience into action by interacting with them. The bald gentleman at the end of my row had his shiny head stroked to the tune of "Gimme head with hair, long beautiful hair, shining, gleamin hair..."!