http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700043942/The-cast-isnt-at-fault-for-limp-Hair.html
Vietnam-era musical feels dated and tired
By Erica Hansen
June 28, 2010
"HAIR," through July 25, Egyptian Theatre Company, 328 Main, Park
City (435-649-9371); running time: 2 hours 20 minutes (one intermission)
PARK CITY In the late '60s, with a country involved in an unpopular
war and the draft forcing young people to make difficult decisions
or giving them no choice at all the artistic community offered
political music, art and theater to help deliver the message of discontent.
"Hair The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical" was one of those.
The first "rock musical" opened on Broadway in 1968 and was
controversial because of its anti-war message, treatment of the flag,
profanity, lewdness, nudity and drug use.
The Egyptian Theatre Company just opened its production of the
wartime show, responsible for popular songs such as "Aquarius," "Good
Morning Starshine" and "Let the Sunshine In."
Like with the recent revival now running on Broadway, which won the
Tony Award for Best Revival of a musical, I sat in the theater on
Friday night and just thought, "Who cares?" But that's not the fault
of this production (more on that later).
As important as the message was in '68, it just doesn't translate to 2010.
The show feels dated and tired.
Though thoughts of peace, love and harmony should always resonate,
the show's very loose plot about a ragtag tribe of free-lovin'
hippies just leaves me wondering when it's time for intermission so I
can get a snack.
Here's the problem, and a lot of this might very well fly in the face
of popular theatrical opinion, but when people ask me about "Hair,"
this is what I'm inclined to say:
The problem is, the show's focus is on the music (of which many songs
are just lists of things … "I got my hair, I got my head, I got my
brains, I got my ears … etc.") and lacks any character development
or at least very limited characterization.
So, when "Woof" stands up and starts singing "Sodomy," you're smacked
in the face with it 'cause we don't know or care about Woof
rather than being interested in what this man has to say.
But with "Hair," the things the characters are doing require the
audience to be fully vested. With the simulated sex acts, the brief
nudity, the language, ambiguous sexuality and the drug use, if the
audience is not connected to the characters, it just feels as if its
purpose is to offend rather than tell an important tale of those
turbulent times.
Imagine the bigger impact of Claude's heavy decision if we knew much
more about him other than he's from "Manchester, England" and goes on
a bad drug trip.
All that said, the Egyptian Theatre Company offers up a true and
accurate production of the piece. If it's a show you've been curious
about, this production, directed by Jerry Rapier, captures all the
anger, love and chaos of 1968.
The cast clearly enjoys telling the story and signing the music.
Lauren Noll, Kandyce Marie Gabrielsen, Nathan Shaw and Timothy
Lethiec Goins are standouts. Under the musical direction of David
Evanoff, the cast excitedly belts out the big numbers with
conviction, though the solos are a bit tentative at times.
Lastly, the nudity.
Yes, the production incorporates the nude scene at the end of Act I.
The tribe removes their clothing in a statement of peace and love and
to make a point that culture seems more concerned about naked bodies
than dead bodies.
Sensitivity rating: Nudity, drug use, simulated sex, strong language.
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e-mail: ehansen@desnews.com
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