MB Hair

I realize I’m running a few weeks behind the rest of the world but I read Michael’s review of the movie and had been dying to see it. It was wonderful. I imagine both Julie Taymor and Daniel Ezralow made conscious choices to reference HAiR (especially the movie) From the group dynamic, to visual elements to choreography I was reminded so much of what has come before. I actually remarked to my wife at one point as they were introducing the characters “This could practically be the back story for the Movie HAiR!” Explaining how they all wound up where they were.

OK so Claude really IS English in this version, Berger gets back from the war OK, Shiela is more like the Play than the movie, Jeanie is hung up on a girl, and Hud is the one dealing with rejection, but it’s all right there… Or am I crazy?

Anyway, I loved the movie mainly because of the fact that it was a great use of the medium. Sure there were lots of things in which you could poke holes or at which you could poke fingers, but if you are one of those people who is capable of letting an experience wash over you (like the newspaper waves at the beginning of the film) then I think it’s well worth it.

It was one of those occasions where I was glad and jealous and inspired and depressed all at once. Glad to be working in theatre where opportunities to do an say and show wonderful things exist, jealous of the cast and director and hell even the grips who got to work on this film, inspired by a piece with vision, and depressed that I’m not doing more to work on things that I feel are visionary. While it’s a paradoxical feeling, it only comes about when I see something that moves me. Now if you’ll excuse me I have to get back to writing MY vision!

P.S. A belated Happy Birthday Robert. If I knew your birthday I evidently forgot it. Also I never got your thoughts on HAiR at the Prince!

Scott Russell