I’ve seen Hamilton twice now since it arrived in the UK, and could easily watch it ten times. It is the story of America’s founding father, Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and helped to shape the foundations of the United States we know today. Aside from his face on the ten dollar bill, he’s the lesser known of the Founding Fathers, and this fantastic piece of musical theatre helps to explain why.
Alexander Hamilton was the first Secretary of the Treasury. His life is played out against the backdrop of the United States, past and present, with the white founding fathers played mostly by black actors. Hamilton was also illegitimate, an orphan, the son of a prostitute, dirt poor, and yet he became a scholar and a hero.
The score blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B and Broadway and is the story of America then, as told by America now. Created by Lin-Manuel Miranda, it’s a runaway hit, incredibly popular with audiences, and acclaimed by critics as a powerful creation which has given new wings to musical theatre.
The music fuses so many styles magically, turning the tale of the USA’s founding ideals into a celebration of the melting pot of nations it became.
The impresario Cameron Mackintosh has brought the show from Broadway in New York to the Victoria Palace Theatre in London’s West End.
The author, Lin-Manuel Miranda, a former teacher, read Ron Chernow's epic biography of Alexander Hamilton on holiday, and then suggested to the historian that it was the perfect subject for a hip-hop musical. Chernow eventually agreed, and Miranda performed the opening number at poetry jam for President Obama and guests in the White House in 2009 and Hamilton fever began. Miranda also wrote the book, the music and the lyrics and even played the lead on Broadway.
This epic story about immigration, race, class, love and war examines how strands of morality don’t change and looks at power, its use and misuse. Some people have principles and live up to them; others are dishonest. And we are all flawed to a greater or lesser degree, but equally, each of us can change the world.
The founding fathers of America are all played by non-white actors, while the old establishment figures, including the king, George lll and his soldiers are white, and full of their own importance. Critics have called it ground-breaking and game-changing, a masterpiece. Jamael Westman plays Alexander Hamilton with verve and skill and makes his character’s transformation from naive teenager to powerful statesman look simple.
Hamilton’s frenemy, Aaron Burr, is played convincingly by by Giles Terera; he also narrates the production. George lll is a scene stealing role for Michael Jibson. Rachelle Ann Go as Hamilton’s wife, Eliza, and Rachel John as her sister, Angelica Schuyler also pack a punch with their soulful singing.
Winner of 11 Tony Awards including Best Musical, the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, critics are calling Hamilton the sort of musical that comes along once in a generation. To book tickets, go to www.hamiltonmusical.com The best availability is midweek, and it’s now booking up to July 2022. You can also check daily for returns.