Hair

This thrilling, young and moving production of HAIR created a huge buzz in Manchester when it opened at the award wining Hope Mill Theatre, and was nominated for the MEN City Life Award (Best Theatre Production). Two young London producers Aria’s Katy Lipson and Senbla’s Ollie Rosenblatt, and the young owners of Hope Mill, Joseph Houston and William Whelton, knew that their production of HAIR had to transfer to London, to celebrate HAIR’s 50th anniversary year. HAIR opened off-Broadway in 1967, so to open this genuinely original new production off-West-End in 2017 was the perfect move for HAIR - as relevant now as it was in the 60s.

Like a mini Woodstock, from the moment the audience arrive, The Vaults is transformed into a fully immersive 60s venue, with psychedelic innovative creatives, iconic artwork and hippie flower power. With 60s themed pop up restaurants and themed drinks; plus stalls including: vintage 60s and tie dye clothes, 60s smiley badges and memorabilia, hippie wigs and flower headdresses, vinyl’s – everything needed for a legal high. Then the audience move through to the intimate theatre seating just 200, where the genuinely youthful cast live their characters, revealing every emotion up close and personal through HAIR‘s drug fuelled journey - still ground-breaking at the age of 50.

1967 and HAIR‘s hippie-hood youngsters live as The Tribe, in the East Village of New York: yearning to change the world, questioning authority and the American flag. They are wild, colourful, free, sexually liberated beautiful people who join in protest and song - under the shadow of the Vietnam War. Featuring classic hit songs: Aquarius, Let the Sun Shine In and Good Morning Star Shine - and the story of youth and war still resounds throughout the world making this a topical musical for the millennial generation. 2017 vividly sees the world protesting and marching, fighting for freedom of speech; from Trump to Brexit via Syria – the core spirit of HAIR.

Creatives

Book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni,

Music by Galt MacDermot.

Produced by Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment, Ollie Rosenblatt for Senbla and Joseph Houston and William Whelton for Hope Mill Theatre.

Director: Jonathan O’Boyle (An American In Paris – Ass Director - Dominion, Four Play, Sense of an Ending - Theatre503, Ass Director The Scottsboro Boys Young Vic & West End, The Judas Kiss Toronto & New York, This House - West End, Bull - Young Vic);

Musical Director - Gareth Bretherton (The Verb, To Love - Old Red Lion, Seasons of Larson - Lyric Theatre);

Choreographer - William Whelton (Our House - Union Theatre);

Set & Costume Designer - Maeve Black;

Sound - Max Perryment & Chris Bogg.