Rainbow, another heir of Hair, rocked into off-Broadway's Orpheum Theater on Monday night with all the music James rado apparently ever wrote and was afraid to throw away.

Rado is making his composer debut with the sonic smorgasbord.  he collaborated, you remember, on the lyrics and book of the previous epic with gerome ragni, who earlier this season was involved in a large uptown dud, Dude.

For the 42 numbers which flow with headlong abandon through Rainbow, Rado did all the tune rhymes himself.  The almost nonexistent book resulted from first creative partnership with his brother, Ted.  Ted used to be creative director for all the touring Hair companies.

Perhaps it is because the brothers also produced that the show lapses in pace and good taste that detract from some ovation-earning numbers.

Garish costumes, clownish make-up and campy behavior establish a mood of grotesque indulgence.  Performers intermittently race up the aisle strewing apples, eggplant and corn, flap gossamer capes.  A character named Jesus sports a crown of Christmas tree bulbs.  various magician stunts such as sawing a woman in half irrelevantly erupt.

The story is something about Man in the person of Gregory V. Karliss facing up to sundry present problems including pollution and homosexuality.  After the intermission, the focus comes down to a visit to the President, who miraculously ends the Vietnam struggle.

The production's appeal, and it is considerable, comes from the best of Rado's songs and the lightning enthusiasm of the performers under Joe Donovan's frenetic direction.

A chunky lass listed only as Camille turns on a voice of martha Raye power and considerably more melody in several numbers.  Not to be overlooked either, are Kay Cole, Janet Powell, Rudy Brown and Michael D, Arian among the assemblage of rambunctious players.

Several numbers, "What Can I Do For You?", "Starry Cold Night", "Groovy Green man Groovy" could be turning up on discs by themselves.

The action-action-action occurs within a domelike abstraction around the walls of which runs a roller-coaster ramp, all devised and lighted by James Tilton.  The raucous costuming was designed by Nancy Potts.

rainbow flashes a lot of colorful hedonism, crackles with youthful high spirits for those who dig impertinent romp.

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