Hair

Image from Bing; Creative Commons

The central theme of this production, Hair, could be summarized into freedom, youth, and love. Main character Claude joined the Hippie group which seeking freedom out of the system, norms, violence, and so on. First of all, these Hippies showed antagonism over discrimination on the race which was rooted in people's minds in those days. Hippies against the war and government which force people to participate in the war. Also, several satires over Catholic, White culture, industrialization, and other norms and regulation which dominated that era as major cultures. However, their resistance movement seeking freedom may occur several discrepancies to the audience since they do not hesitate to enjoy hedonic entertainments from drugs, sex, and others which usually regarded as taboo these days. However, it is astonishing that these are not excessively uncomfortable and even create reminiscence from the audiences. The reason for this could be based on the sympathy of the audience since most of them experiences the phase of youth which cause enormous conflicts between freedom and reality and unsophisticatedness beyond these indulgences even cause nostalgia, Also, the audience could understand that they do not have the wicked intention but loves are inherent in youths' mind. They love their friends, families, nature, human, and peace. Love motivated them to demonstrate and resist violence.
All the stage settings, music, clothing, and dancing completely support the theme of the hair. The opening song of the hair "Aquarius" expresses the mysterious, harmonious, and fatalistic thought of Hippie cultures. Dances indicate the power and energy of the youth. Also, wardrobes emphasize the characteristics of Hippies and enhance reality. Moreover, the stage design decorated with grass seems to provide the feeling to audiences that they are sharing the place and eco-friendly feeling of Hippies and improve involvement. However, to discuss the point of wanting, though there might be some intentions of expressing the disordered feeling of youth through disordered dance, singing, and emotional line, however, it disturbed the audience's involvement a bit. Also, During the performance, nudity was used as a measure to show the resistance to common sense and system. However, there is a curiosity that nudity was mandatorily required to deliver the main message of the shows, and hard to presume the reason of undressing. 
This production has numerous strengths, it has lessons, humor, touching, interesting characters, items to support the story, and others. However, the most successful point is that this production successfully draws audiences' involvement. Humor makes people laugh and the energy of actors lets people sing and dance together. Moreover, it was surprising that there are numerous seniors in this production who may experience the era of the Vietnam war, and many of them wept quietly during the production. Also, many of them chatted with each other reminiscence their old days with the moon, the song of the insect, campfires, demonstration, and friends. As this production dealt with the story of the painful history that the grandparents' generation had experienced, this draws out the sympathy from the audiences who even do not experience the Vietnam war directly. Therefore, this experience of sympathy was driven by actors who struggle to interact with audiences.        
  Personally, the word ‘Hair' was impressive. Claudius, the main character cut his hair to serve the military. Separated from friend, nation, purity, and peace, he lost his power of resistance and submitted to the violence likewise Samson lost his power by lost his hair. Thus, when he came out with short hair, it drives people blue with the realization that he becomes an adult and prediction of his tragic destiny ruined by the violation. Hair, which is also the title of this show represents freedom. As the hairs freely dancing over with wind resistance the gravity, the hair in this performance lets the audience associate values of youth, peace, freedom and love.        

Image from Bing; Creative Commons