BEAUTIFUL HAGGLE OF HIPPIES
John McCrae’s Hair true to its roots
When an eclectic, enthralling Tribe asked how anyone would dare to “try to end this beauty,” the audience of John McCrae Secondary School’s production of Hair couldn’t help but agree — for this production truly was beautiful. From the of flowers to the free-spirited movements, Hair carefully recreated the hazily gorgeous feel of the late 1960s.
Hair, written by James Rado, Gerome Ragni, and Galt MacDermot, is considered to be the first rock musical and one of the first concept musicals. When it first opened off-Broadway at the Public Theatre in 1967, it faced controversy for its portrayals of free-love, profanity, and drug use, as well as its strong anti-Vietnam war sentiment. Yet, it has since become one of the most influential and most produced shows of all time. The story is nearly non-existent — Hair presents a “haggle of hippies,” or Tribe, each of whom take turns explaining their views and beliefs through songs and monologues. In the first act, the show is a sunny explanation of flower-child life, but as the second act arrives, the themes become more political and hallucinatory.
Hair’s production team expertly unified all aspects of an affecting show. The cast members truly did appear as a close-knit Tribe — from absent-mindedly holding hands to dancing in the aisles with each other, every action was sincere and enthusiastic.
As the centre of the Tribe, Claude, Gabriel Reeves captured the vulnerable spirit of a young man questioning his political ideals. His emotive voice brought an intriguingly unsure level to his character. Matthew Landon played Berger with an unrestrained, wild enthusiasm. Briana Budge played “prospective mother” Jeanie as excitable and entirely enamoured with Claude.
As Dionne, Priscilla Domingo’s vocals were unmatched, especially during the songs Aquarius and White Boys. The sweet-voiced Gwyneth Whalen-Hughes played Crissy with an air of hopefulness and heartbreak. Mikael Johansson’s portrayal of Woof was gentle and genuine. Sarah Ham, as Margaret Mead, hilariously captured the quirky spirit of an out-dated member of the older generation. Scott Tulloch as Paul drew attention to himself through witty one-liners.
The colourful costumes, by Charlotte Ross and Taryn Dutton, were entirely reflective of the time period. The orchestra, the Electronic Dinosaurs, effectively evoked the sound and style of the ’60s. Choreography, by Nadine Van Dalen, Veronique Davidson, Chahak Sharma, and Gwyneth Whalen-Hughes, was light and airy. The props, by Zoe McBride and Ryan Hadwen-Hussar, always aided the action.
From its interactive pre-show to its heartbreaking, tearful finale, John McCrae Secondary School’s production was absolutely immersing. Hair presented a stunning story that will stay with the audience far after the Age of Aquarius is over.