Hair,the Broadway classic that celebrates counter-culture,will be staged in Delhi In the Sixties,the musical Hair defined the rather bipolar state of American youth during the Vietnam War. Now,Delhi-based Frenchman Antoine Redon,33,is bringing a watered-down version of the Broadway classic about a group of shaggy-haired happy hippies who believe in living low and staying high to Delhi. The original musical by James Rado and Gerome Ragni was all about pushing the envelope on taboos,sexual liberation and saving the planet. And it is this rawness of the musical that has sustained it so far. Thats why it is relevant for the Indian audience,who are becoming more conscious about the environment they are living in, says Redon,who is the producer and music director. It helps that Redon has already staged a production in France for three consecutive years from 2001 to 2004,with two successful shows in Paris. Redon will also play the lead role of George Berger,the easygoing New Yorker who feels persecuted by the society,in the upcoming production. The musical features 20 songs from the original,opening with Aquarius and ending with the celebratory Let The Sunshine In . In the first seven minutes of the show,the madcap Hair tribe will enliven the evening with the songs Hashish,Sodomy and Hare Krishna. In all,there are 12 scenes. Hair isnt just a celebration of the counterculture it shows. The anti-establishment characters reflect the heady political times they live in and speak about love,peace and harmony. However,the restaged version doesnt have any political message and is simply for entertaining the people, says Rudradeep Chakraborty,director of the musical. The cast of 35 people will be kitted out in flashy gypsy outfits. And Redon promises a lot of spontaneity. So be ready,the merry Hair tribe might just skip down from the stage to embrace and dance with you.
