[Mb-hair] HAiR - Aluminum Coxman

Fri Apr 7 22:49:15 PDT 2006

HAiR, especially in the paperback version, but also strongly in the script, has a rather strong understory of rather callously and brutally rejected love. Jeannie clearly delineates a long chain of un-requited love: 

1) Jeanie (who is knocked up with "some speed freak's child) loves Claude even though he pretty much avoids/ignores her. Some productions have the telephone call sequence that, IMHO brilliantly, both softens his rejection and underscores it. 

2) Claude is in love with Sheila, though she often rejects him, especially when she gives the yellow shirt to Berger and off-handedly disses Claude when he wonders if she also brought him a gift. 

3) Sheila is in love with Berger, who, in turn, rejects her, most strongly in the shirt scene. Some productions have Claude trying to comfort her right before "How Can People Be So Heartless..." In addition, some productions also temper this rejection with Berger returning to Sheila and saying that he was going to get the shirt repaired. 

4) Finally, and hopefully to at last get around to try to help answer your question: Berger "is hung up everywhere," according to Jeanie, who often serves as a "Greek Chorus" in the play. He does express his love for a vague ideal "Democracy's Daughter" (then acknowledging that what he sees is the Statue of Liberty.) Although other tribe members equate Sheila with "Democracy's Daughter" (and why I'd love to see the draft cards burned in a hand-held torch carried by Sheila representing the Statue of Liberty) as is written in the paperback version, I don't believe that Berger clearly sees Sheila in that role, or as a lover. Berger fancies himself as being irresistible, and claims that "you'll eat me up, up, up." Berger is quite polyamorus, and some productions have Berger making out with other female tribe members. Hebe pointed out that Berger was "fooling around" with other female tribe members in yesterday's Russian HAiR production at the Pacific Design Center. 

So, "Aluminum Coxman," I believe, is a pun operating on several different levels:

a) Coxman, or more accurately, Cocksman for his promiscuous tendencies. 

b) Coxman, or more accurately, Coxswain for his being the leader/steersman of the tribe. 

c) Coxman, for the Tinman, i.e.: the one with the brains of the tribe. 

d) Aluminum, as opposed to Tin, because the latter is ever enduring and does not rust. 

Just my thoughts. 

Telling the tribe not to ACT groovy but rather to BE groovy might be a very scary demand on them. Once the tribe bonds, and the tribe members "inhabit" their roles, they will BE groovy whether they try or not. They have to live the roll; they have to enjoy themselves in the production, even though the fun may not come into full bloom until they have been before an appreciative audience. I read somewhere that the original production used "consciousness raising" and other tribe building exercises to build the tribal community. Hopefully some past tribe members will comment on this.

As for your (female) colleague's inability to draw very strong parallels between our war against Vietnam and our current war on Iraq - - - well, the mind boggles. This is such a big topic that I will not go into it here at this time. Suffice it to say, that if the current crop of DLC Democrats (e.g.: Hillary) come to power in the next election, there is a very high probability that they will convert the current "poverty draft" into a "more egalitarian" Selective Service Draft as we had in the Viet Nam era. Then HaiR's relevance will be comprehendible by anyone.

Blessed be with peace, love, freedom, and happiness! 

John 

==================================== 

Original Message: 

Hello all,

Just a quick update and a question - I'm hoping that I can capitalize on the vast Hair knowledge to solve a mystery. 

Things are going great, still very rough but moving along. It's been fascinating reading the emails on the list because I've been dealing with a lot of issues regarding the material and whether or not to update. I don't remember who said it but they were right - Vietnam history to the vast number of my students is like Egyptian history. They know it happened but don't necessarily understand how it shapes who they are today. We haven't updated it but the tribe and I have had many conversations linking events from 1968 into events of today - I'm hoping to try reviving their sense of activism, if I can. One of my colleagues and I have a running argument about how Vietnam/Iraqi, she sees absolutely no similarity. But as a
teacher and director, I would feel irresponsible if Hair didn't connect to these students' lives or at least their view of history.

It seems the biggest barrier has been getting them to be themselves onstage. I have been quoted as saying "don't act groovy, just be groovy" which may be silly but getting everyone to relax and stop ACTING has been a challenge. Luckily, the sense of tribe is truly taking over and it's great to watch
them evolve. 

My question revolves around a line that Claude says "And I am the Aluminum Coxman and you'll eat me up, up, up." Who or what is the "Aluminum Coxman"?

Again thanks for all the debate and comments about everything - it's really helped me!

Peace,

Garry Lennon

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