Hamilton

 

Hamilton 2020

• Director: Thomas Kail
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Philippa Soo, Leslie Odom Jr, Renée Elise Goldsberry, David Diggs, Jonathan Groff, Chris Jackson
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Lin-Manuel Miranda – In the Heights
• Why? The hype
• Seen:  22 February 2025                   

        Oh, to see this on stage, but oh how happy I am to see it on my TV screen.

       Believe the hype. Music, lyrics, voices, humour – just brilliant.

       With that said, there are problems. The story is muddled, possibly difficult to follow for those not familiar with US history. It goes on rather too long, a few kill your darlings would sharpen it up. The lyrics are always clever but don’t always bring the story forward.

       The major problem however is that, though the cast is mostly made up of actors of colour, the characters portrayed were in reality white slaveholders, or at least entrenched in a racist society. Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote it and starred in the title role, has acknowledged this and apologised.

       Still, it presents some astute comments on the complexities of wars of independence and building a new nation. It is definitely worth seeing. More than once. 

4* of 5