There was a real buzz in the WMC on Friday night for the performance of the celebrated musical Hamilton. Essentially the story of the life of Alexander Hamilton (1755/57-1804), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America, this musical – written by Lin-Manuel Miranda (who also starred as Hamilton in the original production), inspired by the 2004 biography by Ron Chernow – has been winning acclaim since its first staging in New York back in 2015. I attended more with curiosity than excitement, intrigued to see what all the fuss was about; the idea of a hip-hop musical did not hold out much appeal for me.
How wrong I was. From the very start (despite a hefty info dump about Hamilton’s early life in the opening number) this musical grabs you and doesn’t let go. It takes you on a breathless and energetic – and lengthy – journey from Hamilton’s involvement with the revolution to his death. There is particular focus on politics and politicians, but the treatment of history is engaging and there is room for much humour in the performances and lyrics. There is also room for exploration of the personal lives of these men, and thankfully women also come to the fore, particularly in the shape of Hamilton’s eventual wife Eliza Schuyler and her sister Angelica (and not forgetting Peggy!). For such a simple set (a brick interior with solid wooden stairs and balconies, looking like a warehouse or a theatre without a set installed) there is a real sense of scale and drama, and a revolving floor adds to the effectiveness.
This is clearly a musical where the whole company is key, and everyone gets a moment to shine, even the backing performers (Harry Robinson makes a particular impression). It’s astonishing that so many characters have real impact (including Charles Simmons’ Washington, Antoine Murray-Straughan’s Charles Lee, and Aisha Jawando’s Angelica). Of course there are dominating characters. As Hamilton Shaq Taylor (very recognisable from a current IKEA advert) brings passion and intensity. Maya Britto as his wife Eliza supplies sweetness and emotion and has her own significant story. Best of all for me was Sam Oladeinde as Aaron Burr who proves magnetic with his precision and clarity and ability to convey character. Others of the supporting characters deserve special mention also. Billy Nevers is a delight as the swaggering dandy and Francophile Thomas Jefferson. Outstanding too is Daniel Boys as King George, whose acidic commentary is performed with obvious relish; he was a clear hit with the audience.
As for the music, the soundtrack is recorded but the singing is the thing, and it impresses throughout. Stand out songs are Eliza’s ‘That Would Be Enough’ and Burr’s ‘The Room Where It Happens’. There is certainly enjoyable energising hip-hop here but there are also classic tunes and performances.
Overall then it has been well worth experiencing the cultural phenomenon that is Hamilton. While I may not be as excited as a lot of the audience obviously were, I suspect that it will grow on me further as I become more familiar with it (I have now purchased the CD of the original Broadway cast recording). Hamilton and Hamilton will not be forgotten.