Hamilton shot to fame from it premier in February 2015 and became far more popular than the common person would believe possible from a musical production. The show tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, a founding father of America, to a soundtrack of hip-hop and R&B mixed in with Britpop and rock opera – to many an unlikely combination. Despite this Hamilton touched Broadway audiences in a way most shows could only dream of However, as quintessentially an American tale there was still some uncertainty about the success of its 2017 transfer to the West End.
Of course, we know it quickly became a critical and commercial success across the pond, with further celebration of Lin-Manuel Miranda, who devised the music, lyrics and book. Now more people could access the wittiness, complexity and humour contained inside his show. Furthermore, the original West End cast, including Jamael Westman, Rachelle Ann Go and Giles Terera were all praised for their take on the characters. This led to a grand total of 7 Olivier Awards including: Best New Musical, Best Actor, Best Director and Best Theatre Choreographer, an impressive haul only beaten by the 9 awards won by Harry Potter and the Cursed Child the year previously.
Now two years along the line, the lustre of Hamilton is still there. The fast-paced delivery of exposition through rap battles or a hip-hop number is still original among the variety of musicals available in the capital. The replacements for the original cast are indeed still stupidly talented and carry both the comedic and heart-breaking moments of the show. The potential for the second act to become dull as early American politics becomes a focus never happens due to the passion from performers and the nimble songs, the crème de la crème being Aaron Burr’s showstopping ‘The Room Where It Happens’ that takes the complex subject of the deal between Hamilton, Jefferson and Madison and transforms it to focus on Burr’s desire to have the importance to also be included in those conversation.
So, it appear that Hamilton is not falling out of the public’s consciousness anytime, still being relevant 5 years after its opening date in Manhattan. We will still connect with Hamilton’s rise from being penniless in the Caribbean to one of the most influential men in starting what is now the richest country in the world for many more years. His story, though being hundreds of years old, touching on strong themes of the modern day – the celebration of immigrants and power of the written word for example.
