The Historic Importance of ‘Hair’ & Why Everyone Should See It At Least Once In Their Lives

The Grammy and Tony Award-winning production of Hair: The Tribal Love-Rock Musical is making its grand return to Sydney.

First Debuting 1967, Hair, set against the backdrop of late 1960’s – a decade defined by social change and cultural revolution – that captures the counterculture spirit, push for peace, truth and freedom whilst telling the story of free-spirited young hippies who advocate a lifestyle of pacifism and free love in a society riddled with intolerance and brutality.

Whilst the musical is recognised now as a landmark moment during the anti-war and gay liberation movements, even the most seasoned theatregoer probably doesn’t know the full breadth of its importance within the LGBTQ+ community, or activism history.

With a new production of Hair hitting The Theatre Royal Sydney on June 6, we decided to look into why it is so important, to political protest on stage, but more importantly in sharing counterculture and LGBTQ+ identity to the mainstream by way of Broadway.

Hair: A cornerstone of counterculture & LGBTQ+ representation

Though debuting off Broadway at Joseph Papp’s Public Theatre, the show shortly became a massive global hit, seen by roughly 20 million people globally by 1972. The show’s representation of LGBTQ+ people was groundbreaking at the time pushing against the traditional tragic or hidden from society depictions that the stage grew so accustomed to. Queerness, bisexuality and polyamory were characterised in a normalised and accepted way, whereas shows of the time like Boys in the Band were depicted as overexaggerated, desperate and ultimately tragic.

The creators of the stage show, Gerome Ragni and James Rado sought out to create ‘fluid’ characters as a direct challenge of the traditional and rigid depictions of masculine identity audiences had grown accustomed to in other hit Broadway shows of the time like Fiddler on the Roof, Camelot and Man of La Mancha.  

The emphasis by the characters on “free love” and their interactions is a celebration of community and togetherness that was positive and without traditional sexual boundaries.

The themes of free love and self-expression are obvious in their attachment to queer identity today, but the show was heavily criticised upon release for its depiction of queer life as the show sought to challenge and confront audiences on social taboos.

The play’s overt nudity in scenes as well as the satirical song ‘Sodomy’ – which plays with classic gospel but fills the lyrics to the brim with describing sexual acts – confronts audiences with the taboo in another act of proud self-expression. As a first for many audience members, and more so for Broadway, the show provided the first same-sex kiss on stage.

This however became the basis for many court cases against the show, with groups such as the Operation Yorkville (later becoming ‘Morality in Media’) seeking to ban the musical from showing. However, its victories in court, protected under US First Amendment Rights, ultimately led to a strengthening in artists’ ability to tell queer stories without fear of shutting down production.

The show is most importantly a signpost of radical representation, and makes visible LGBTQ+ identity and counterculture.

Hair is coming back to Sydney

When Hair first came to stages across Australia, the show caught the nation’s attention and sparked debate on politics and censorship, much like the show did in the United States upon debut.

The production also helped launch the careers of some Australian icons like Marcia Hines, Reg Livermore, John Waters, Lyndsay Field and Sylvie Paladino, who all appeared in early productions of the show.

This production of Hair – directed by Glen Elston – will open for a strictly limited season, bringing together a dynamic ensemble to revive its message of freedom, rebellion and hope for a new generation.

“They’ve each got something distinct to bring to HAIR, and I’m looking forward to seeing it all come together on stage,” said Elston.

Filling the boots of the original cast that set the standard decades ago, will be Maxwell Simon (Moulin Rouge, The Grinning Man) as Berger, Alex Cooper (Much Ado About Nothing) as Claude, Elizabeth Brennan (Pride and Prejudice) as Sheila, Tane Williams-Accra (Family Next Door, Six Degrees of Separation) as Hud, Niylesh Palani (Hello Dolly) as Walter, Rosie Meader (Everybody Loves A Wedding) as Jeannie, Jackson McGovern (Macbeth, Animal Farm) as Woof, Mariah Lewy as Chrissy and Zohra Bednarz (Holiday Inn, Little Shop of Horrors) as Tina, and many, many more talented actors.

Hair: The Tribal Love-Rock Musical is showing at the Theatre Royal Sydney from June 6 – July 12.