Sunday, February 13, 2011
Mature 'Hair' no longer shocking, but still moving
post-gazette.com: "Diane Paulus was a toddler under the influence of her opera-fan mom and siblings who loved rock 'n' roll when 'Hair' first entered her life. 'I have an older brother and sister who I looked up to, and they played the Beatles and the 'Hair' album, and I loved the music. I used to sing 'Frank Mills' [from 'Hair'] all the time, and I didn't know it was written like a letter to the editor. I was listening to that music when I was 2 or 3,' said the director of the Tony-winning revival.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
I always say that Hair is like a concert I would actually see. It's not a conventional musical and it's not a conventional concert. That's what I like so much about it though. It's something different and special. A unique experience that can teach you something new like a musical with all the fun of a concert.
I am a bit surprised that Hair still receives such a surprised reception. The article mentions a performance in LA (a pretty liberal town by my estimations) as having an extremely shocked audience. Firstly, I have difficulty believing that anyone who actually pays to go see Hair doesn't know what they are getting, particularly in regards to the nudity. And in terms of dialogue, no subject is really very taboo nowadays, and if I remember correctly, nothing in Hair really surprised me in this regard. I wonder if people act shocked about this show because that is what they are supposed to do, not because that is the way they really feel.
I'm excited to see this production of HAIR in a new space, having seen it previously both in its Shakespeare In The Park and Broadway incarnations. I think the decision to stage it in Heinz Hall and not the Benedum will help maintain the intimacy of the show, which is still the thing about it that surprises me the most. Yes, it is a semi-big musical whose energy radiates to the back of the house and then some, but its most profound moments could get lost in some of the largest touring houses if not executed carefully. I'm excited to see how the production has changed or not changed since Broadway, and how a different city will take it in.
I completely agree that "Hair" is more than just a shock musical. When I first saw it I wasn't shocked by the nudity or the homosexuality (probably because I already knew about it going in) but I was moved by the story of a boy struggling with his identity and being drafted into a war he doesn't want to join. After I saw the musical I asked my father and mother tons of questions about what it was like growing up with a war going on. I found out a lot about my family and it was all because of the experience on seeing this show. I found out my father was a flower child and marched in Washington DC against the war in Vietnam. I also learned that my grandfather foiled a KKK bombing! I'm so happy that I got to see this musical and learn about my family's past. But I also love how much this musical can still strike a code with today's teenagers.
I completely agree with this article. While "Hair" is still shocking to some, in today's culture the nudity and political activism in theatre is nothing new. I was fortunate enough to see this production towards the end of its Broadway run, and while I had mixed thoughts on the show itself, I cannot say that I wasn't moved. In fact, the ending scene of the show left me stunned and incredibly moved. The last scene's humanity and realism is what shocked and moved me. Though what was once considered shocking is less so nowadays, this revival of "Hair" does what any good piece of theatre does: it moves and changes the audience.
Post a Comment