HAIR

The sixties hippy protest era of anti-war, drugs and free-love was exuberantly brought back to life at Powerhouse last night in a free-wheeling but tight production by Sue Rider.

Hair, with its multiple quirky characters,was the perfect musical for a group of students to perform and the Conservatorium’s 2^nd year group did it proud.

Helena Moore moved the large ensemble cleverly in the chorus numbers while Matthew Samer’s terrific brass-heavy nine-piece band blasted the roof off the venue delivering every memorable moment of this iconic score. Who could not be swept up in the euphoria of “Let the Sun Shine In”, “Aquarius” or the title tune.

In the pivotal role of Claude, the hippie who faces conscription in the Vietnam War, Jackson McGovern was convincing in his British-accented “Manchester England”, “Where Do I Go”, and leading the company on “Let the Sun Shine In.” Connor Sweeney’s Berger, the pal who urges Claude to burn his draft card, was energetically forceful scoring with “Donna”, while Madison Green’s Sheila nicely captured the emotion of “Easy to be Hard”.

The set of scaffolding worked well, and also having the band onstage behind it was a big plus, as were the flower-power era costumes.

Jason Glenwright’s lighting design was uncluttered with a very effective pin-spot centre-stage that captured the important action.

Hair’s infamous nude scene in this production was reduced to the boys stripping to their underwear. It was very low-key.

Despite the show being 45 years-old, Sue Rider’s production gave it a freshness that was infectious, and the ending still packs an emotional lump-in-the-throat punch.

The musical has been double cast so different performers play the key roles on alternate nights.

Peter Pinne

Photographer: Dean Bailey