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Hair:' A Deluge of Sights, Sounds, Profanity, TalentBy MIKE MARTHPerhaps if? a tribute to this serewed-up town that it can break the heart of a Leiinie Bruce, hang doilies on the bare breasts of visiting African folk ballerinas, harbor an array of book burners and still sell $40,000 in advance boxoffice for a show as abrasive of its funny moralitv as “Hair ’’A landmark spoof of tins generation as the new gen-oration sees it. “Hair”' is the first musical to couch its love ;-ongs in four-letter word*. the first to totally execute the concept of lotting it all hang out, and the only one to wed mod energy, artistry and uptown production value*Originally written fui a Xew York discotheque by James Kaclo and Gerome Ragm. who also star in it, the show staggered Broad-wa. Preened for a Los Angeles audience, it opened Tuesday night at the new Aquarius Theatre in Hollywood.Like the age it defends, “Hair’- is excessive in dress and behavior, brash, loud and captivating, a description of the liberated boy-next-door.Too authentically Ameri-t an to burn his draft notice when ho gets it. too conscientious to accept his role in a Dirty Little War, Claude (Rado) seeks to bury himself in the ritualisms of the gang, poking fun, making lu\ e. turning on.Bui neither guru i a delightfully sarcastic Ragni) nor girlfriend (an irrepressible. warm Jennifer Warren l can stay the hand of the Man.Claude is shorn uf the locks that are his spiritual mainstay and uniformed in khaki, hence to become another of history's unwitting brntalizers.If \ou'ro o\er 2'j andnine, the final, full-chorus plea for tolerance delivered face-on from the apron of the stage will haunt you.Highlights include “1 Got Life,” unashamedly celebrating the body: “Why Must People Be So Heartless.” a soft focus, bluesy number by Miss Warren; “Happy Birthday Abie Baby,” a wicked and charming travesty of the lofty promise that was Lincoln’s life.Indeed, “Hair” trimmedcould be thcatriealb si pcrb. what with lalentc cast, great inuic and allUnfortunately, the show strength is also it* u eaknej— zealIt is overlong, its wort sometimes mdistinguish ble, occasionally tedious : its excesses of sight ar sound, and just a little arr gant, reluctant to say th like so much ele in 198$, too mav be ridiculous.IT’S TIM] TO RE JO.SCUFF ROBERTSON, Cl ..CLAIRE BLOOM SSScc i IHRUTH WHITDAILY 6:30 • 8:30 • 10:30 P.M SAT. SUN. HOLS. 2:4C IVOIV I 4:40 • 6:40 * 8:40 • 10:41ACADEMY MEM8I you and one lt;A 11 hMON thru FRI 6 30 • 8 20 • 10,20 PM SATURDAY 1 00*3 60* 5:00* 7:00* 9.00* 11:00 SUNDAY2.15*4.05*6.05*8:18* 10:10 Pfc“FINIAN-tIM youTMlf glam A j
Newspaper Details
Van Nuys Valley News
Van Nuys, California, US
Thu, Dec 05, 1968
Page 102
Full Page
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CA, USA 05 Feb 2020
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