'Hair' at Home Of The Arts Gold Coast was an explosion of music with some important underlying messages which can very easily be applied to society in 2019.
Featuring a cast of stellar vocalists including Paulini and Hugh Sheridan, it was a psychedelic trip through the '60s hippie movement, where anti-war protesters filled the streets and people just wanted to feel the love.
The stage – mainly made up of scaffolding – was fairly minimalistic. The actors did most of the work in telling the story, however, so this made sense.
'Hair''s strength definitely came from its cast. Aside from Paulini and Hugh, actors such as Harris M Turner, Angelique Cassimatis, and Matthew Manahan really worked hard to drive the story forward and commit to their roles. Big props to David Newman and Tom McSweeney, this was a stunning group of performers with a ridiculous amount of talent.
The music is another element of this show which really brought it to life and lifted the energy to new levels, which wouldn't have been possible without a practically faultless band of musicians led by Musical Director Tina Harris.
Paulini's vocals in 'Aquarius' were nothing short of phenomenal, while tracks such as 'Hair', 'My Conviction', 'Black Boys'/'White Boys', and 'Easy To Be Hard' all left their mark. Of course, the somewhat haunting but simultaneously groovy 'Let The Sun Shine' closed the show marvellously.
James Browne's costuming in the show was gorgeous, the hippie spirit being accurately presented with lots of skin, fringe, earthy tones, headbands, and of course, long hair (props to Wig Designer Drew-Elizabeth Johnstone).
In closing, this production of 'Hair' was filled with love, music, laughter, and a sprinkling of heartbreak. Its cast brought phenomenal energy throughout the entire show, wonderfully depicting the craving for freedom of love and expression which was so alive in the era.
