My goodness, you articulated my cranky criticism of the current NY production entirely. I saw HAIR in Central Park last summer and I couldn't get over how much of a period piece this has become. The cast was great and the music was as pleasant, and sometimes as stirring, as ever but there was something sad about watching this piece that was about protest and not conforming amidst a group of yuppies, myself included, in flip-flops, Ralph Lauren Polo shirts and dockers. The show was protesting the very generation that we had become. We the audience were lovin' it as a nostalgia piece, not as protest theater. Even the celebrated nude scene at the end of the first act that shocked everyone back in the '60s looked relatively tame leading me to believe that Thomas Wolfe was right: you really can't go home again. FRANC
-----Original Message----- From: MoPo List [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Joseph Bonelli Sent: Tuesday, July 14, 2009 12:56 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [MOPO] Off-topic--Broadway's HAIR visits a non-coping Conan the Annoying Just turned on the tv in time to catch the title tune and "Let the Sunshine In" from the Broadway HAIR revival that has made people under 40 think they "get it." They don't! It's too damned CLEAN!!! Choreography!! Too-pretty people! Pressed costumes! Make up! Sho-biz!! Well done but---- not 1968, folks!! Not "HAIR!" So much of this generation doesn't even KNOW there's "a war" because NO ONE is MAKING them GO! That's what "HAIR" is about!!! I had friends in the original L.A. company of this real, live "happening." They said that on opening night that Tommy Smothers, one of the producers, passed out joints to the cast, told them to all light up and then --- hit the stage!! It was REAL. The revival seems beautifully done. But it AIN'T "real." Nobody passed out anything, obviously, except teeth-whitener! And Conan obviously hated it because it (thank God) took the attention away from him! Some shows should just be left alone. Joe B in NOLA Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content. Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
