Hamilton

Completely over hyped. Second half better than first, but internal GnT may have contributed.

It's ok but nothing amazing.

I originally didn't think it sounded interesting until it started it's run in Edinburgh recently. Then several friends said how wonderful it was, so we decided to go. I didn't know any of the songs, but I did make sure I had a rough idea of the story before we went. It was absolutely wonderful and very high energy from the word go, from the cast.

Absolutely not necessary to learn the words before you go, and I'm not sure why you would want to do that, since it's not a 'sing-a-long' production for the audience in any case - but it would probably help to follow the full story line if you listened to the music before you go. The entire play tells the story in 'song', so that might be helpful, as sometimes we didn't catch all the words.

It would definitely be helpful to at least read a good synopsis of the story before you go and the names of the earliest US Presidents too as several of them are mentioned while still just politicians

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_(musical)#:~:text=Hamilton%20narrates%20Alexander%20Hamilton's%20life,interactions%20with%20Aaron%20Burr%20which

I could've written this word for word @ISeeTheLight and totally agree.

It's absolutely amazing @Geminijust and hopefully you will think so too.
LMM is an absolute artist and genius imo!

I don't understand though, if it's a birthday treat then why do you have to learn all the songs?
Why put conditions and pressure on it?

My 14 year old went with school and didn't enjoy it in the least.

Its brilliant. Seen it twice. Didn't listen to it first. In fact I don't really get why you would, that's like watching a film at home then watching it again in the cinema. We did listen to the soundtrack at home after the first time and then of course knew it better the second time, but musical theatre is best experienced live I think.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B08NRYYW2Z?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image

You need to buy and both read this book before you go. Children’s book so easy to follow and quick to read. Will make the play so much better for you.

Totally agree, I knew nothing about the story whatsoever and it was really easy to follow, no more complicated than any other musical.

My dd loved it when she was 14/15, knew all the songs, myself and her friend's mum took them to London for the weekend to see it 5 years ago when they it was first playing on the west end and they both loved it and myself and the other parent enjoyed it too.

Disagree, I knew next to nothing about the founding fathers etc but didn’t struggle with the plot - I think the lyrics explain it all.

It's a fantastic musical definitely give it a go.

Saw it with my daughter when she was 14 - she loved it! Younger child also loved the soundtrack at approx age 11/12 and then loved the show when we watched the filmed one on Disney+.
Also, the first time I saw the show I had never heard any of the songs and thought it was brilliant- def not necessary to learn the songs first, in fact it would kind of spoil it.

I watched it on Disney plus “cold” in lockdown and thought it was terrible.

Saw it was coming to Edinburgh so decided to give it a go. Read a bit on the plot and listened to the soundtrack.

I thought it was phenomenal. LMM is a genius. I am obsessed and can’t wait to see it again! Not got plans for that yet though.

Doing some prep helps get the most out of it but nothing can compare to being in the room where it happens

If close to London, or can get there with a weeks notice, check out the Hamilton Lottery £10 tickets!!
https://hamiltonmusical.com/london/lottery/#:~:text=Hamilton%20London%20Lottery&text=Entries%20for%20each%20draw%20open,any%20performance%20the%20following%20week.

In my top 3 all time favourite musicals.

Went in blind to West End show, was absolutely blown away.
i knew a little of the history and that definitely helped.

i have since listened to it many times on Spotify. I can’t wait to go again!!

We have tickets next year for the touring production and I am so looking forward to it. I’ve wanted to go for years but it arrived in the U.K. when DC2 was a baby and I’ve never been able to manage the time. It’s been so long coming that we will take the kids with us!

it is an actual masterpiece. It blows my mind that anyone could take a subject as dry as this and make it into such a phenomenon. It has made LMM incredibly rich (£30m alone from the Disney+ deal and 7% of box office sales).

7 years after discovering it I still listen to it regularly. It’s stupendously clever in the way it assigns different characters different rap styles (Hamilton is Eminem, Washington is old skool rap) to match their personality and status. It uses musical motifs in a similar way to Les Mis, and it has a similar feel in some respects, the relatively drab scenery and high emotion. The ending is epic.

The lyrics are very clever at times, and well annotated on Genius if you do decide to get to know it before you go.

I think the Disney+ version helps understand what is going on at any time, though LMM does not have a great voice talent. Lesley Odom Jr (Burr) has a beautiful voice though.

I thought it was great.

I agree with the comments above that you’ll get more out of it if you look up the story in advance, and read about the real people.

It was about three months ago and I’m still humming music from it.

For me the songs are so catchy and the choreography is superb. I love musicals though so that probably helps.

I think that seeing it on Disney AFTER seeing it live is better - the scale and spectacle live is completely different.

The voice talent is amazing

The classical/hip hop dance fusion is clever and extremely accomplished

The retelling of a historical story with clever modern devices - the rap battle for political debates, the dancer representing the bullet etc was innovative and original

It was genuinely funny and moving at times. The writing allowed you to feel the full range of emotions - anger at his failings, empathy for this wife, the grief he suffers etc.

The rivalry was so well depicted - that kind of ‘fake friend’ setup is so common with people we dislike really but rarely portrayed so well.

Lafayette - that is reason enough

The colourblind casting was brilliant and showed how the story is what matters - not how they looked.

The modern neck up, historical neck down costuming made it feel edgy and modern whilst allowing you to picture the period.

It was captivating from the opening bars and I was absolutely enthralled from the very start.

I think there's a sort of Shakespearean quality to it - the clever wordplay, the light and dark (but the light bits are more funny than the various drunk porters etc you get in the likes of Macbeth), the characterisation, the hubris.

I’d read a bit of the backstory first but otherwise just go and have a fabulous time.

I also took my DD for her 18th the year before last at her request. I was pretty ambivalent about it.

It was/is amazing! I knew the entire score off by heart within about 10 days of seeing it 🤣

I watched it on Disney plus - it was dull. I love musicals -but was not convinced by this one.

I do think it might have been better live.

Please do come back and tell us how it went

It's great. Witty lyrics, great songs, great dancing, different from most other things I've seen and just good fun.
Like others, I don't understand why you need to LEARN the words beforehand. That sounds very odd to me - unless you are planning to sing along, which I really, really hope you aren't.
Maybe read up on the history before you go if you want to understand every detail of the plot. I didn't know most of the history at all but it didn't worry me as I picked it up as I went along and was swept along by the story.
I'm 69 btw - I went with a family group of three generations and we all loved it.

I went to see it recently after hearing all the hype over the last few years and i am absolutely astounded to be honest. I don't get the hysteria at all. Id highly recommend reading up on the story in advance because i had no idea what was going on for a large chunk of the first half, not helped by the whole thing pretty much being rapped which i found quite difficult to understand and then the all black cast caused me more confusion as i mentioned, i didnt no the story in advance so when trying to piece it together i was thinking i must be mistaken as the real people were white. If id gone in knowing a bit more about what to expect maybe id have enjoyed it a bit more but i just found it very difficult to follow. There is no doubt the cast were extremely talented though and must have been knackered by the end.