Policeman gives view of ‘Hair’ at court hearing

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32862, 10 March 1972, Page 2

Policeman gives view of ‘Hair’ at court hearing

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, March 9.

A senior detective gave his detailed description of the American musical, “Hair,” in the Magistrate’s Court, Auckland, today. And in evidence the editor of a religious newspaper said that he • had been “shocked and disgusted” by some of the language and actions in the production. ~ , ■

They were giving evidence during the three-hour lower court hearing, before Mr D. S. Sinclair, S.M., against Harry M. Miller Attractions, Ltd, of Auckland, the company presenting the show. The company is charged that: “On February 26, at Auckland, without lawful justification or ekcuse, it presented an indecent show, namely the musical show •Hair.’ in a place to which

the public were permitted to have access.” The summons was served last week by Detective Chief Inspector Edward Graham Perry, head of the Auckland Criminal Investigation branch squads, who was the police witness in today’s hearing. At the taking of depositions yesterday Mr D. Morris appeared for the police. Mr L. W. Brown, Q.C., and Mr M. B. Williams, on instructions from the company solicitor, Mr P. Jenkins, appeared for “Hair.”

Defence reserved

At the original hearing, on March 2, the company elected trial by jury through its executive manager, Garry Van Egmond. At the end of the hearing Mr Brown pleaded “not guilty” for the company and reserved his defence. Mr Sinclair sent the company to the Supreme Court at Auckland for trial. Mr Morris called three witnesses for the prosecution and put in 11 exhibits, 10 of them props from the show. Mr Brown did not crossexamine any of the witnesses.

Before the first witness was called Mr Brown told the Court that the prosecution wanted to use some of the props from the show. This had been agreed to, provided they were returned at the end of the hearing and would be made available to the police for any future hearing.

“Zealandia” editor

The first witness, Patrick John Booth, of Manurewa, said he had been a journalist for 23 years. He was now the editor of “Zealandia," a Roman Catholic newspaper. Mr Booth said that on February 26 he went to the opening night of “Hair” and sat eight rows from the front, on the ground floor. “I was shocked and disgusted by some of the language and the action involved in the production,” he said.

“These scenes began very early in the first half and included simulations of intercourse, masturbation, sodomy and oral sex between both men and women in the cast. There was one scene early in the first half in which a man

and a woman simulated intercourse close to the footlights.” During the first half a member of the cast—a man dressed as a woman—came from the audience on to the stage in a mock protest against the show, said Mr Booth. There was quite a lot of banter between the man and members of the cast. “During the scene one man crawled across the stage lifted his leg and appeared to urinate like a dog. “At the end of Act One, 15 of the cast appeared naked from under a white shroud and stood alternately, men and women, for about 30 seconds.” Gallery seat Mr Perry said during February he learned that the American love-rock musical “Hair” was coming to New Zealand and he arranged to buy a $4 ticket for a gallery seat.

He went to the theatre on February 26 and bought an 80c programme which he produced as exhibit one. He had a clear and unimpeded view of the stage, he said. Mr Perry continued: “The show ran for two hours and a half, with a number of sequences. It had seven principal players — Claude (Lindsay Fields), Berger (Graham Matters), Sheila (Natalie Mosco), Woof (Bill Paton), Hud (Chuck McKinney). Jenny (Marcia Hines) and Crissie (Ann Kavanagh)' —the rest of the cast were known as the ‘Tribe’.” He showed the Court a pair of suede briefs as exhibit two and said that in one scene they were used by Berger. Drug references “Berger then went on to sing ‘Donna’ about his search for a 16-year-old virgin of that name. He went through the motion of drawing a syringe through his arm while the rest of the cast referred to hashish, cocaine, opium, heroin, and LSD.

“Woof came forward and said: ‘This is the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

“Berger then pulled a string of beads with a cross attached from the briefs and said he had been keeping them warm.” Mr Perry showed the beads and cross as exhibit three. He then cited "indecent” words which he said were used in one of the songs, and other "indecent” phrases which were written on banners carried round the stage and auditorium. Pills distributed “A woman, Jenny, then appeared from a 44-gallon drum marked Fallout Shelter singing a song about pollution. She was noticeably pregnant,” said Mr Perry. “She said she had been knocked up by a speed freak. I took this to mean that she had been made pregnant by a drug user of amphetamines —probably methadrine.” “Pills were then handed to members of the cast by Berger, who said: “One for Pandora for your box, one for New Zealand’s biggest opposition, Norman Kirk, one for Germaine Greer, who will probably never need it, and one for Miss Suppository.’ Berger took the last pill himself and ran into the arms of Woof.” First interview Mr Perry said that on February 27 he spoke to Harry Maurice Miller, chairman of the defendant company and a Mr Van Egmond. He told them that there

had been several complaints about the show and he read a list of the incidents said to be indecent. “Mr Miller said that he was not prepared to say anything without his legal representative being present, and Mr Van Egmond . confirmed that he was executive manager of the show, but did not say anything else.” Questioned by Mr Morris, Mr Perry said that there was no restriction on age and anyone could go to the show. Woman witness The final witness was Margot Jacquiline Hudson, a married woman and secretary, from Whakatane. She said that she was interested in theatre and throughout her life had been to theatres in New Zealand and abroad.

After questioning she added “All the scenes upset me, but probably the biggest scene involved every member of the cast moving as in intercourse.”

The Supreme Court hearing will begin on Monday March 20 and is expected to last about three days. The show itself will complete its second week in Auckland tomorrow. and has another eight weeks of its planned run left.