Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Hamilton

75 replies

mnahmnah · 03/07/2020 13:13

Hi

Hamilton is now on Disney+, so I would love to watch it after everything I’ve heard about how good it is. I have a general idea of what it’s about, but I’m wondering if it’s difficult to follow if you haven’t got a decent grasp of American history? I don’t want to spend the whole time googling like I do with lots of American political TV shows!

OP posts:
Beamur · 04/07/2020 21:38

DD and her friends love the songs but has never seen it.
Watched it together and it was a blast. Very good show, such a clever and accomplished production.

CompleteBarstool · 05/07/2020 09:29

I watched it with DD yesterday (she's already seen it on the stage).

I did quickly read the Wiki page part way through as I was having trouble keeping up mainly due to my lack of knowledge of American history but also the songs are fast moving at times.

I really liked it and definitely want to see it again when I've read up on it properly

Ohsuchaperfectday · 05/07/2020 09:42

It was brilliant but slightly confusing with the flashbacks also its sad. Lin is a genius!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

TV
RosieLemonade · 05/07/2020 10:12

@Ohsuchaperfectday

It was brilliant but slightly confusing with the flashbacks also its sad. Lin is a genius!
What flashbacks? I’ve seen it four times and can’t think of any that would be confusing. Do you mean helpless/satisfied? I can’t see how that would confuse anyone.
HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 05/07/2020 10:16

There is a documentary on sky history on Washington that I watched last night which was really interesting.

OK @RosieLemonade now you're hooked you need to fall down the youtube hole that is Hamildrops and the Hamilton mixtape. Also anything with Lin and Jimmy Fallon and the a weird Al Yankovic Hamilton Polka.

Original poster
mnahmnah · 05/07/2020 20:34

I was totally in awe of how amazing Lin is. To write all of that is just astonishing. But I still found myself wanting to know more about all the characters, to understand the story more and why they were represented in the way they were. Loved Thomas Jefferson!

OP posts:
HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 05/07/2020 20:56

If you have sky / Now TV there is a 3 part docuseries, part reenactment part historian narration called Washington, its really interesting, it's such an important part of British history and yet something I had no real understanding of until I first got interested obsessed with Hamilton.

Frazzled2207 · 05/07/2020 21:02

I saw the stage show just before lockdown. It was great but the words come thick and fast and it is quite difficult to keep up IMO! Subtitles will help.

SegregateMumBev · 05/07/2020 21:04

I watched it “ cold” last night, and it really didn’t grab me straight off. The rap lyrics are very hard to keep up with, and the story line left me looking at Wikipedia to fully understand it.

I’m not sure the songs are the “ Singalong “ kind, but I’ve enjoyed Expanding my knowledge of that part of history. Lin Manuel Miranda is one of those “ too clever by three quarters” geniuses.

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 05/07/2020 21:11

You can learn the words surprisingly quickly. Along with the cast album you can buy the Hamilton mix tape, this is the songs / or variations of them sung by the RnB artists that inspired the original song or adapted as modern day versions. There are also Hamildrops on YouTube by various artists and other songs Lin has written that are related such as 'Ben Franklin' lots of swearing in that one though, this is one of my favourites it is all of the Elizas from the different productions (at the time) singing Burn.

I don't think Hamiltons success is entirely to do with the show itself but for the very large, ongoing presence that it had on social media.

UltimateWednesday · 05/07/2020 21:14

I watched it this afternoon whilst ironing. Maybe I should have given it more attention but I didn't follow it at all and didn't enjoy the music either. I did Google Alexander Hamilton first too.

Original poster
mnahmnah · 05/07/2020 21:24

I put subtitles on within 5 minutes, which really helped!

OP posts:
TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 05/07/2020 21:33

It’s meant to be the best musical ever made isn’t it?

We took dd to see it in Feb. Never thought l could sit through 3 hours of hip hop. But it was great. She’s watched it 3 times on Disney+.

I know all the words to all of it now!

ineedaholidaynow · 05/07/2020 21:36

Is it worth getting a month subscription for? Not sure whether we would watch much else on Disney+

IKEA888 · 05/07/2020 21:40

Not for me... one of those things that folks like to say they like to make themselves appear ??? more middle class that they are .. I don't know.

TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 05/07/2020 21:44

We got it for Dd at the start of lock down. It’s been the best money ever spent, and kept her entertained for hours. 6 quid a month

CorianderLord · 05/07/2020 21:48

Yes we googled things as we watched it as we became a touch lost in parts. Look up the founding fathers and the war of independence if you want a starting block

CorianderLord · 05/07/2020 21:48

Yes we googled things as we watched it as we became a touch lost in parts. Look up the founding fathers and the war of independence if you want a starting block

EachandEveryone · 05/07/2020 21:49

I saw it innLondon and I wasnt blown away I thought it was overrated. However I watch the Broadway version and I think it blew ours out of the water. Their voices were so much better. Also i think it helped watching it for the second time.

Original poster
mnahmnah · 05/07/2020 22:04

@ineedaholidaynow

I think you can get a free trial still for a week, I’d you just want to watch Hamilton

OP posts:
Sailingblue · 05/07/2020 22:04

I was really excited to watch it and we tried to make it a fun Saturday night thing but we both couldn’t get into it and stopped watching after about 20 minutes. I suspect I’d have enjoyed it more at the theatre but I’ll give it another go.

bashcrashfall · 05/07/2020 22:05

I thought it was really impressive, but just didn't quite get it. I will probably watch it again at some point though as I think I probably missed a lot the first time round, especially at the beginning. It did make me spend ages googling most of the people in it.

bashcrashfall · 05/07/2020 22:06

@Sailingblue I would give it another go. I thought it was slow to get going and you had to get your head around listening to the words at high speed, but then it picked up.

Floralnomad · 05/07/2020 22:08

@ineedaholidaynow if you know someone who has a Disney + subscription you could use theirs , it’s a bit like that Readly magazine thing and can be used on a few devices .

MouseholeCat · 05/07/2020 22:08

I was so excited about watching it and was totally blown away! Such an amazing musical. I've got the darn King George 'da da da' thing in my head. The cast were all amazing, but the way Jonathan Groff was drooling was so insanely perfect for the role!

If this got anyone interested in US History, I can recommend Turn: Washington's Spies with Jamie Bell. I think it's on Amazon Prime.

There's also a good John Adams miniseries (called John Adams)- he was the president after Washington and also one of the Founding Fathers.

Swipe left for the next trending thread