Trigger Warning or Content Advisory for Hair?

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Re: "references in Hair to the people of India," there are actually at least three: "I've been to India / And saw the yogi light..." in "Donna," a depiction of Buddhist monks in the trip sequence in Act II which amounts to a caricature typical of the era that some today would regard as an insensitive portrayal, and a reference post-trip to Berger potentially hiding out in India and staying high forever (I admit to not knowing how someone would find that last one offensive, but it's the only other reference I can find).

As for content advisories, I have no problem with them. If we have a ratings system for films, and another one for television, and, for example, warnings in a live context about the use of strobe lighting and smoke-related effects, I see no reason not to acknowledge content that people consider problematic and give them full warning to get out or deal with it. If they stayed, and they sue, they can try if they like; I'm already covered legally with my posted notice, be it in printed matter or on some sort of notice board before one enters the venue.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

Oh, and before I forget, though there is not an extensive history of it in productions of the show, it is the nature of Hair, though born in the Sixties, to live in the present, and, in its free form, to make reference to today, reinforcing the unfortunate truism that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

As far back as the short-lived Broadway revival in 1977, the posters in the protest rally have occasionally incorporated current references; said revival, for example, included "No Nukes Is Good Nukes," "Con Ed Goofed," "Save the Whales," topical references to the women's rights movement, and other slogans that would have made no -- or at least little -- sense to a playgoer in 1968.

(Indeed, the show's very first Off-Broadway revival in 1980 updated all of the topical references and set the show in the then-present. It was very well received, and played a command performance in front of 100,000 people on the Capitol steps in D.C.)

[MikeInTheDistrict]

There's also the entire "Be-In/Hare Krishna" sequence... I'm South Asian and Hair is one of my favorite musicals, but I do think that particular sequence (and the general co-option of Eastern religion by the 1960s counterculture, often bastardizing them as excuses to get high) merits discussion. It's an aspect of the hippie culture that has been discussed by a handful of people but as the population of Asians within the U.S. has been growing substantially over the last 50 years, will probably pick up salience more and more as we go forward into the next half century.

As for the content warning in the program, I don't see it as very different from the "notes from the director" essays that sometimes are featured in programs. Oftentimes, the essay is meant to contextualize the musical/play into its time period, comment on its relevance or ramifications for a modern audience, describe the approach of the present production, etc. I'd rather that than doing what I saw in my first production of Hair, a community college production in which a lot of material was cut.

[John Adams]

When the Tribe references Krishna in Hair, they are not referencing the people of India, nor Buddhism, nor Buddhist monks.

They are referencing themselves. More specifically, they're referencing the adoption and practice of the Hare Krishna faith that was was founded in 1966, in New York City.

From: After 50 Years, Hare Krishnas are no Longer White Hippies who Proselytize in Airports

"Back then, members of the Hare Krishna faith — more formally known as ISKCON or the International Society of Krishna Consciousness — were mostly young, white hippies drawn to a new version of counterculture spirituality. They gave up their jobs and their homes and then gave up alcohol and drugs and extramarital sex. They went to live in remote communes and proselytized to strangers in airports."

I do agree that regarding co-option of Eastern religion, the show (Berger, I think?), "bastard[izes] them as excuses to get high". To be accurate though, the Hare Krishna faith is a US-born religion based on Eastern practices. At the time of Hair, it was not predominantly practiced by those of Eastern or Asian cultures.

[MikeInTheDistrict]

I don't find that scene particularly bothersome because, you're right, the Hare Krishna movement was part of the hippie culture, and I think the show does a somewhat decent job of tackling the somewhat skewed nature of that intersection of Eastern culture and the 1960s counterculture. ISKCON was a movement started by an Indian immigrant, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who actively set out to bring Westerners into the fold of Hinduism, in particular the bhakti yoga (devotional) tradition of that religion. The people who actually followed Bhaktivedanta's teachings were more straight-edge and didn't drink or smoke, ate vegetarian with no garlic or onion, etc.

In that song, they're referring to the Hindu God Krishna, and portraying an appropriation of that religion. This particular tribe isn't portrayed as very devout adherents to the Hare Krishna faith. I think the show itself actually comments on the conflation of drug culture with Eastern religion in that song when they superimpose "Marijuana! Marijuana!" over the ancient mantra of "Hare Krishna!" and later "Take trips, get high, etc." As such, I don't think that scene necessarily needs to be called out for its portrayal of Indian religion, but rather can serve as a vehicle for discussing the excesses and foibles of the hippie movement with regard to mis-using aspects of other cultures (Native American, Indian, etc.) to forward its own agendas.

[John Adams]

Hey, Mike - I think we're mostly in sync on a lot of points.

Personally, I don't find anything particularly offensive in Hair. I'm not a fan of censoring, or whitewashing the show because (and maybe only for me) presenting the original form blatantly illustrates the changes that have occurred (for better or worse). Hair is a time capsule. 

Neither do I think it was a bad idea to include a disclaimer. In my first post I wrote: "I understand the use of a content advisory. I think it's unfortunate they felt a need to do so, but these are the times..."

I'm disappointed in their wording. It reads as being very fearful and very contradictory. ...Like, "We want to do Hair, but we're SOOO afraid of any backlash we might receive." IMO, they wrote too much. 

[bwayrose7]

Re: the trigger warnings debate - we have similar advisories/warnings for things like strobe lights that could cause a medical/physical reaction, so I see little difference between warning for triggers like that and warning for contextual triggers. Use the "reasonable person" standard just like we do for elements of physical productions that could cause issues: no, you don't need to warn that a specific color of light is used, but just that strobes are used.

[Mister Matt]

In that song, they're referring to the Hindu God Krishna, and portraying an appropriation of that religion.

I think that really depends on the production you're seeing.  The songs is really about the Be-In, which was really about the hippie gatherings, either socially or politically motivated, that celebrated a commonality among the spectrum of the far left, often resulting in drugs and sex.  The number would open with a small group of Hare Krishna members and build, adding members of the tribe and possibly other representations of students, military, tourists, etc. (I've seen this done to great effect in other productions) who may or may not be simply jumping on a bandwagon for thrills as conservative onlookers voice their disapprovals.  If the Hindu God Krishna is represented on stage, it's purely a directorial choice.

Oh, and before I forget, though there is not an extensive history of it in productions of the show, it is the nature of Hair, though born in the Sixties, to live in the present, and, in its free form, to make reference to today, reinforcing the unfortunate truism that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

I guess it's all about how tight the direction is and its incorporation of modern elements.  My favorite production used a framing device of Sheila, Berger and Woof at the Vietnam War memorial in DC with the show existing as their memory.  There was no dialogue for this, but just a visual representation as they transformed to their hippie selves with the help of the tribe during Aquarius.  Just before The Flesh Failures, during the music vamp, they reappear in modern clothes at the memorial and the unchanged dialogue takes on new meaning (Where's Claude?  He should be here...etc.) as they search for his name on the wall.  Claude appears above the wall for the scene and at the climactic moment, his name on the wall is lit.  The Tribe then appear from behind the wall to fill the stage for Let the Sun Shine In.  The effect was almost overwhelming in emotional intensity.  I've never seen another production that ever came close to the emotional effect of the finale than this one.

I would hope that modern references in the show would be consistently used and not simply lazily dropped in with 60s hippies holding signs referencing another era.  One of my favorite recordings of Hair is the 2001 Vienna production that really blended the eras not only with visuals, but in sound.  The modern orchestrations are sensational and enhance the timelessness of which you speak.

Obviously, I hold great affection for this particular show.  One of my favorite numbers is The War, often omitted from recordings as it is a short instrumental.  I saw another production choreograph this number so brilliantly, it started out absolutely hilarious, then became deeply disturbing as it gained speed.