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. Genius. See it!

It's incredible. Watch it on Disney+ with subtitles first as the rap is fast and the puns are many you'll both love it

I haven't seen the live show only the Dusney + - it really wasnt for me. Yes clever lyrically but a bit samey in style, I'm afraid I don't get the hype. If someone gave me a free ticket I'd go but I wouldn't pay to see it live, I followed the story jist fine but found listening to the songs hard work. Definitely a marmite show.

Seen it. Loved it. Possibly the best musical I've ever seen. Knew nothing about it in advance & managed to follow it no bother. Go, you won't regret it!!

I love it and have seen it a few times.

However I would personally not go in ‘blind’

Before I saw it in theatre I’d watched it on Disney plus with the subtitles on, listened to the soundtrack a lot and read the plot summary/explanation online. Seeing it live was an incredible experience.

Every person I know who hated it went in not knowing anything about the plot or songs.

I went in blind and at first felt like I’d been thrown into a washing machine - I had no idea what was going on and found it hard to follow. But by the end I was in love with it and felt like it was the best thing I’d seen for years, and I felt like not knowing anything made that feeling by the end even better.

Maybe listen to a couple of songs to get some familiarity, but don’t overthink the whole thing - just go, immerse yourself and enjoy it!

I’d suggest watching it on Disney plus first to familiarise yourself with what’s going on, as it’s so fast paced. Then in the theatre you can really appreciate the performance and follow the story. I think I’d get lost following it if I hadn’t have watched it beforehand.

Why do you need to learn the words of the songs? It would be awful to have some member of the audience trying to sing along behind you when you have paid to listen to talented professionals.

It's not the songs you need to learn, but I think it would help to understand some of the history for context. The comedy and storytelling then comes from the lyrics.

Why do you need to learn the words of the songs? It would be awful to have some member of the audience trying to sing along behind you when you have paid to listen to talented professionals

It's not so that you can sing along! It's very, very wordy. Lots of very fast rap, parts where debates happen and two people are singing different lines at the exact same time etc.

Familiarity with the words of the songs/raps in advance really helps in following the storyline.

I went to it totally ‘blind’ - had no interest in it as rap really not my genre but my 16 Yr old really wanted to see it.

very much went for them - their birthday treat.

zero expectations and I totally loved it!

Great production / great songs…

Totally blew my mind and so glad I went.

love the crazy king!!!

Why do you all like it????

Everyone just keeps saying "it's amazing... best thing i've ever seen... so clever.... WHY though?!

The songs are brilliant. The staging is so clever. The King is hysterical. There's so many clever things that are hidden, you'd have to research to know them, but they just add another layer of genius. And the storyline is really interesting.

I absolutely loved it, watched it in Manchester at the palace theatre and even though they were the MOST uncomfortable seats I've ever sat on I loved every minute. My husband on the other hand hated it and fell asleep 🙈
I made sure I didn't watch it on disney+ before hand and I'm glad I didn't as it was worth watching it 'live'
I'm going again in liverpool next year and can't wait.

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.

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 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

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 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.

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

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

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.

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.

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!!