HAIR The Musical Melbourne | A Powerful Revival of Freedom and Friendship at Athenaeum Theatre

At Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre, HAIR The Musical returns with the same heartbeat that made it revolutionary more than fifty years ago. It carries the pulse of friendship, freedom, and music shared without restraint. Directed by Glenn Elston OAM for the Australian Shakespeare Company, this production revives the legendary “tribal love-rock” musical with humour, urgency, and raw authenticity. What begins as a carefree celebration of youth gradually unfolds into reflection, confronting war, identity, and the burden of choice.

Inside Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre Revival

The opening scenes move with the rhythm of a jam session, playful and full of inside jokes. There is a sense of watching friends communicate in the only language that unites them, music. Amid the laughter and improvisation, small moments of truth appear, a lyric that cuts through the noise or a glance that reveals fear beneath the fun.

The cast handles these shifts with ease. Maxwell Simon, seen in Moulin Rouge and The Grinning Man, brings warmth and edge to Berger. Alex Cooper plays Claude with quiet conviction, giving the story emotional depth. Maverick Newman, recently featured in Footloose, adds energy and wit that keep the ensemble sharp. Elizabeth Brennan, Rosie Meader, and Zahrah Andrews complete the group with balance and presence. Together, they create a sense of belonging that feels spontaneous and real.

A Cast That Brings the Tribe to Life

Each performer contributes a distinct presence, shaping a tribe that feels connected yet diverse. Maxwell Simon leads with natural charisma, while Alex Cooper grounds the performance with sensitivity and purpose. Elizabeth Brennan delivers Sheila with conviction, Rosie Meader adds warmth and ease, and Zahrah Andrews fills the space with soaring vocals that linger. Maverick Newman keeps scenes fluid and dynamic, maintaining a sense of rhythm that drives the show forward.

The cast thrives on shared energy. They listen, react, and move together in a way that feels instinctive. The production’s heartbeat comes from this connection, not choreography or precision but understanding. Every harmony and exchange carries the ease of people united by belief and shared experience.

This unity gives the story weight. The tribe on stage feels lived-in, their connection believable and human. It reminds audiences that HAIR has always been about community, individuality, and courage to speak truth.

The Music of HAIR: Live, Loud and Unfiltered

Even after half a century, HAIR’s soundtrack feels alive. Songs such as Aquarius, Good Morning Starshine, and Let the Sunshine In fill the theatre with warmth and urgency. Each is performed with sincerity and energy that bring the music into the present.

Under Paul Norton’s musical direction, the live band becomes the driving force. Each song moves the story forward naturally, shaping emotion through tone and rhythm. Sue-Ellen Shook’s choreography complements the music with movement that feels expressive and unforced. Together they create a balance of sound and motion that keeps the performance vibrant from start to finish.

Themes of Protest, Peace and Belonging

Set during the Vietnam War, HAIR remains a statement of individuality and conscience. Its questions still echo today. Who gets to be free? What is worth standing for? Created by James Rado, Gerome Ragni, and Galt MacDermot, the story balances humour and protest with honesty.

The direction is measured and confident. Glenn Elston focuses on people, not politics, and trusts the material to speak for itself. He writes in the program, “If you can do theatre that makes a difference, it’s worth getting up in the morning.” This sense of purpose is visible throughout. The show feels contemporary because its ideas never stopped being relevant.

HAIR continues to blend humour and reflection with ease. Its celebration of freedom, love, and defiance remains powerful, and its humanity still resonates.

Why HAIR Still Matters in 2025

First staged in 1967, HAIR grew from the energy of New York’s counterculture. Writers Rado and Ragni, with composer MacDermot, captured a generation’s search for meaning and identity through rock, theatre, and protest. That same urgency runs through this Melbourne revival.

The production highlights the musical’s origins without turning them into nostalgia. References to movements like the “Human Be-In” and the Summer of Love remind audiences of the world that shaped it. Yet the story feels current, reflecting the struggles and hopes of today’s youth with the same emotional force.

Event Details

Disclaimer: Glamorazzi representatives Meenakshi Chintalapati and Roslyn Foo attended the opening night on 31 October 2025 at the Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne, invited by TS Publicity. All opinions expressed are original and our own.