What a Piece of Work is Hair

Gavin Creel as Claude
Will Swenson as Berger
Kacie Sheik as Jeanie
Caissie Levy as Sheila
Kaitlin Kiyan, Tribe member

I'm gonna come right out and say it: I did not like Hair. THERE! It's out in the cosmos. I was prepared to love it because we're all so familiar with the songs (Age of Aquarius, Good Morning Starshine, Let the Sun Shine In). Instead, I found the music loud, unintelligible at times, the story unfocused. I was mentally and visually overstimulated by the third musical number. I did not like the cast members going into the audience. I'd tolerate an occasional break-down-the-fourth-wall-wink-wink-moment in a show, but not to the extent that this revival did. (Although strangely, I liked it when they had audience members climb up on stage for the finale.)

The (too) exuberant cast have lovely voices. Gavin Creel has an incredible voice. I don't understand though how his character (Claude) who wanted to be invisible, made the decision that he did. The plot eventually kind-of comes together at the end. The ending is very powerful. Although it was nice to see a piece of musical theatre history, it's not something I would want to see again. Maybe it's a cultural thing, or a generational thing. But I'm gonna wash this show right outta my hair.