Last Saturday (yes, Halloween) I had the opportunity to see the Broadway revival of the iconic 1967 musical Hair. Described as a “Tribal Love-Rock Musical,” the show is a musical celebration of Hippie culture and the individual freedoms promoted by the Hippie “movement” of the 1960′s and 1970′s. The production was great fun: good music with such tunes as “Age of Aquarius” and “Let the Sunshine In,” hilarious comedy, celebration of free love, and strong social commentary on issues such as race, sex, and war. I wasn’t sure quite what to expect, but overall I had a great time – the energy and effusive spirit of the cast was contagious. I left the Al Hirschfeld Theater truly invigorated.
The cast of Hair during its run at Shakespeare in the Park, Summer 2008.
So what does this have to do with figurative art? Well, as many of you know Hair is famous for a scene in which the entire case appears nude on stage. Part of what made the show controversial (and famous) is its frank treatment of sex and nudity. The nude scene itself isn’t as much about sexuality as it is freedom: freedom to express ourselves and shed cultural norms that in many ways oppress us. Indeed, Hair is full of celebrations of the realness and innate sacredness of the body. In one scene, after being kicked out of his parents’ home, a character takes solace in the fact that he still has his body, as he counts (in song) all the body parts that are his – he may not have a home or possessions, but he still has his body.
The current cast of Hair, as seen on the cover of Time Out New York.
I am far too young to have seen the original, but I was frankly disappointed by the nude scene in this production. The stage was dimly lit during the scene, and some of the cast were clearly self-conscious – a fact that works against the concept of shedding inhibitions and expressing individual freedom. If they wanted to be bold and provocative, they should have performed this scene with much more realness and boldness. If they are simply replicating a somewhat anachronistic production, they should have either left the scene out all together or closely emulated the original. But the tepid portrayal of nudity is completely at odds with the driving point of the musical. They weren’t shy about sex or profanity or edgy social issues – why the fear of a little skin?
As an art model, my goal is to expose myself completely – body and soul – every time I take the modeling stand. I pose fully exposed under bright lights for hours at a time as men and women of all ages carefully scrutinize my every curve and shadow and angle. So forgive me if I’m unimpressed with a self-conscious cast standing nude in dim light for about 15 seconds in a musical all about shedding culturally-induced inhibitions. I know undressing in front of a theater filled with 1,000 people is no easy task, but the nude scene is completely consistent with the character if the show – if they are too shy to drop their clothes, they should not be in this particular production.
That said, I did enjoy Hair overall. I wasn’t alive during the age of Hippies, and from what I know there are both admirable and deplorable aspects of their lifestyle. Their celebration of the human body and their aim to remove the stigma attached to nudity is laudable. I only wish it had come across more clearly on stage. Maybe they should take a few cues from us art models…
I haven’t seen the current Broadway production, but “Hair” is a great show with an amazing number of great songs.
I suspect the timid treatment of the nude scene is due less to the embarrassment of the actors than to the nervousness of the producers afraid to discomfort their mainstream audience.
If you want to see frank nudity as a theatrical expression of freedom, you need to be checking out the underground theater and dance scene further downtown or out in Brooklyn. Nudity is commonly seen and it’s not shy at all. “Hair” emerged from the underground theater movement, and that movement is still going strong. Broadway, like Hollywood, can be counted on to tone down anything truly subersive.
Good comments, Fred, and you’re probably right about the “mainstream” Broadway influence toning down the nudity. I agree about the underground theatre elsewhere in the city – much more bold in their expression of nudity and sexuality. Too bad an innovative, provocative musical like Hair has to be tempered to find a broad audience – 40 years after it first debuted!
Majority of people have family and thus lean towards being conservative.