Quote Of The Day

"Victory goes to the player who makes the next-to-last mistake - Chessmaster Savielly Grigorievitch Tartakower (1887-1956)"

Friday, December 01, 2017

Amazeballs production @Hair50London @thevaultsuk. Last night I was Hubert! By the finale audience flooded on stage to join the fun. Deffo going again! #bestshowintown @JonathanOBoyle @andycoxonuk @ellejay91 @AdamJDawson @kjwright21 @Rob_Metson @AriaEnts

Last night Stuart and I went to see the 1967 hippy musical Hair at the Vaults under London's glitzy Waterloo station.

It is one of Stuart and my favourite musicals which, for all the show’s structural failings – including an almost complete lack of narrative impetus and coherence – is sweetly enticing, whatever your age.

The first proper date Stu and I went on was to see a revival of Hair at the Gate Theatre back in 2005. Twelve years earlier than that coincidentally we'd both seen the same 1993 production at The Old Vic starring Sinitta and John Barrowman. We are obviously both big fans.

Back in 2010 when the musical was revived again with a Broadway American cast at The Gielgud sure enough we were there on the first night - and many other times during that run too.

This time last year we'd even gone up to the decidedly unglitzy Manchester Piccadilly's Hope Mill Theatre to see this current production before it transferred down to London. And this is the second time we've been since it's moved to London too. They must be getting fed up with us by now!

Hair is undoubtedly a great musical. A rock musical no less. The first of its kind. It explores dramatic themes throughout, most of which are displayed right there on stage; swearing, drug use, overt sexuality, anti-war, anti-racism and nudity. What's not to like?

The songs are great too; Aquarius, Donna, Sodomy, Ain't Got No, Hair, Be-In (Hare Krishna), Good Morning Starshine and of course the seminal Let the Sun Shine In.

Jonathan O’Boyle’s current production does all this material justice despite being staged with far more dash than cash, and benefits enormously from a fine onstage band and a thrillingly talented, sweet-voiced cast.

Andy Coxon's Burger, Rob Metson's Claude, Laura Johnson's Sheila and Kristen Wright's Crissy are all top notch.

The production is active, energetic and enthusiastic. The simple staging allowed the great singing to come to the fore. The audience were involved from start to finish being encouraged to join in as the action on the stage bled into the auditorium. Climbing into the seating the cast sang, danced, and handed out Be-In posters. By the finale the audience were so involved they flooded onto the stage to join in the fun.

I was Hubert for the night! (You have to have been there)

Great show. Go see.

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