Hamilton

[Geminijust]

DD18 says she would like to see Hamilton for a birthday treat. Doesn't seem to know much about it but has heard a couple of songs she likes and said "I feel I ought to see it".

I've tried listening to the soundtrack and it seems OK, with a couple of decent tracks ( I know it can take a while to learn songs so will perservere). I googled the plot and I have to say it sounds a bit dull. I told DD if she really wants to see it I'll book it but we must learn the songs beforehand. Did that with SIX and loved it but this has many many more songs.

Reviews seem mixed, people seem to love it or hate it.

Well, it seems she's keen to go so it looks like I will be booking.

I generally like musicals. Loved Les Mis, Jamie, Evita, Billy Elliot for example. Hated Phantom, King & I.

Any tips on how to get the best out of it?

It’s brilliant. An absolute masterpiece. It’s not dull in the slightest.

It is absolutely fantastic but you have to stay on the ball to be able to follow it.

Don’t worry to much about it. Don’t do too much homework.

Go and be immersed. It’s incredible.

I dislike rap and I watched Hamilton when it was first released on Disney plus, because everyone was talking about it and I was bored in lockdown in the evenings. Wasn't expecting much at all from it.
It completely blew my mind and is honestly the best musical I've seen. It is incredibly well done and clever, from musical themes and callbacks to lyrics, stage setting and choreography. I've since seen it in London too and it was equally amazing.

It’s absolutely brilliant and like nothing else. Definitely go.

Watch it before (on disney) so you can follow the story. It's very fast paced. Unless you know you're American history, you'll struggle to follow it.

Well I loved it, seen it twice now. However I did already know everything track word for word when I went, as had been introduced to it before it came to UK.

I’ve not seen it but would like to. I’ve listened to the soundtrack (because that gives you an idea of the plot if you can’t afford tickets) but I think your “we have to learn all the words before we go” rule is… well, quite strange and unnecessary. If that’s what you want to do in order to ‘keep up’ with the story on the day, that’s absolutely fine but surely if you’re daughter doesn’t want to do that it should be fine. I’ve never known anyone to do that. It’s not for you to tell someone else HOW to consume a production.

We watched in lockdown on Disney+ because we’d run out of everything else to watch and it was incredible. Saw it in London earlier this year and it blew me away. Seeing it in person was even better. I genuinely don’t think I’ve been so immersed in a show, ever.

I wish I could see it for the first time again.

I love musicals/theatre/shows but didn’t enjoy this at all!

There was an impressive amount of words to be learnt and I liked the ‘you’ll be back’ song, but it really wasn’t for me.

Absolutely the best thing I've ever seen at the theatre. You won't regret it.

Hamilton is amazing I'd definitely learn a few songs. Alexander Hamilton, The room where it happened. The Schuyler sisters and helpless spring to mind.

It's fab, I liked it on Disney but I wasn't blown away. Went to see it after lockdown and it was brilliant. You don't need to learn all the words, knowing a tiny bit about American history helps as you know some of the characters. This isn't essential though.

It is absolutely incredible - Six is good fun but it isn't comparable in quality to Hamilton which is an absolute masterclass. I went to see it for a second time last year and am going again in the summer. When I went last year, there was me who knows it inside out, a friend who knew it a bit and another friend who knew none of the songs - we all had a wonderful time.

That's good to know as I'm worried I'll just compare any other production to the original cast

I love love love Hamilton its not boring at all I'm taking my 12yo to see it in summer and he can't wait

It's incredible. I went with 3 friends, 2 of us had listened to the soundtrack a lot before and 2 hadn't. They definitely didn't enjoy it as much. If someone had described the plot to me I would have thought it sounded dull too but it's absolutely not. It's so clever!

My DD loves it and I watched it on TV with her, I found it very dull and the music really samey. DH and DS didn't make it half way.

Going against the grain - I thought it was rubbish, and I normally love all musicals!

I thought it was amazing. I read up on the plot and history before I went, but I think I would have mostly followed along without.

My son and his friends went to see it and said it was amazing!

I watched it, well as much as I could before I gave up as I thought it was so dull.

That said, your DD will probably love it.

I cant say enough how fantastic this show is. It's a work of genius. My DD16 has seen it 3 times, the last on Broadway a few months ago, and she's planning her next trip to London in the summer to see it a 4th!

She is a theatre aficionado, Hamilton is her favourite show by a country mile, she knows every word to every song and don't we know it . She also loves history which helps, but it is far, far from boring, even if history isn't your thing.

Loved it. My daughter has loved it before she saw it, she had heard all the songs. We booked for London she got covid so ended up seeing it on Disney plus. When it came to Manchester booked it and I thought I wouldn't enjoy it as much as I'd seen it on Disney and though I enjoyed it wasn't that bothered. It was absolutely amazing on stage and u would highly recommend.

I love Hamilton and have seen it twice, but I knew the story, songs, and "in" references inside out beforehand. I saw it with someone who knew nothing and she was just confused.

Do you have disney+? It's got the recording of the original cast performing it, with Lin-Manuel Miranda. It's incredible. It's touring and I've got tickets to see the on tour show next year.