Am I the only one who doesn't understand the hype around Hamilton?

[jewel1968]

Admittedly it is probably different live. I am talking about the Disney screening. I was looking forward to it having heard so much about it but I couldn't get into it at all. Anyone else?

I’ve seen it live and loved it but found the Disney version a bit meh. I think it’s the camera angles and small screen - it just lost all its impact for me.

I nearly turned it off half-way through. Found it really hard to get into. Persevered and enjoyed the second half more.

It has grown us all hugely. We are now obsessed with it. Once I downloaded the soundtrack there was no going back; that's all anyone in this house has listened to for the past month.

Give it another go with subtitles, it also brings out some of the clever word play.

A clear example, shit without subtitles, some folk are happy with any old shite. Of course it's dumbed down.

I found it boring. It doesn't help that I hate rap.

it's not even very musical.

That’s absolute nonsense, when you actually break the music alone down it’s very cleverly written, but it took me several viewings to pick up on a lot of it. I think it’s fantastic personally, but then I think Lloyd Webber is a plagiarising hack so each to their own 🤷‍♀️

I would wager @Devlesko hasn't actually seen it...

I enjoyed it and will watch it again. The music is fantastic, but the staging looks epic too and obviously that will never be the same on a small screen.

Am just so sad that I never got to see it on stage .

SinkGirl

I agree about ALW, that's when the dumbing down started.
But even he looks like a great compared to recent dross.
I disagree it's each to their own, it's a case of quality and Hamilton has no quality ito musical elements.
People liking it, doesn't make it any good, just popular.

I disagree it's each to their own, it's a case of quality and Hamilton has no quality ito musical elements.

Nope. That’s absolutely untrue.

There’s plenty of detailed analysis of the composition in Hamilton, it is very thoughtful if you pay attention. Have a look at the “How Hamilton Works” video series on YouTube.

Thank you, I will do.
But, isn't there something inherently wrong when you have to look at "how it works"?
I've never had to do this with any of the greats.
Thanks for the info though and I will look at it.

It's very clever, and we had the subtitles on, IMO very necessary. I just really dislike the musical style, and gave up after about half an hour.

@Devlesko

Thank you, I will do. But, isn't there something inherently wrong when you have to look at "how it works"? I've never had to do this with any of the greats. Thanks for the info though and I will look at it.

I don’t think you have to in order to enjoy it but I’m a bit of a music geek and I like analysing the meaning behind composition. It may seem simplistic musically at first glance but it’s actually quite complex, really interesting uses of inverting themes and chord progressions at relevant parts, reflecting the language / themes in the way the music is written etc. I find it really interesting. I suppose that some people will just dislike the style which is fair enough but that’s not the same as it being without merit or a lack of complexity.

I agree. My dd loves it but none of the songs seemy remotely catchy to me. Normally i like music she plays!

I love this musical (as my name suggests!) and to suggest that it's musically simplistic or dross is absurd; the song Guns and Ships has some of the fastest lyrics ever recorded and those lyrics are so finely calibrated. The way the music and the staging work together is fascinating, have a look at how Aaron Burr moves across the stage and how metronomic his singing has to be. It's a fascinating piece of historiography. However, if you aren't interested in different interpretations of American history being portrayed by a cast of people of colour at a time in history where the checks and balances of democracy as we know are under threat, then maybe stick to watching Carousel.

I quite enjoy a bit of hip hop to be fair. But I am not one to analyze music or a performance too much. I tend to feel it if that makes sense. Same with art and literature and film. Sometimes I find it difficult to explain why I find something so powerful. An example of this for me is the movie Hunger. I could watch that over and over again and get something new out of it.

I will have another look at Hamilton and consider the observation made here. Have no problems with people of colour representing the historical characters - is that relevant?

I watched the first half to the interval but didn't pick it up again. The songs are catchy and I enjoyed the George III parts but I just didn't find the story very interesting, and I'm not that interested in American history.

God it’s so clever. If you turned it off before then end you really missed how clever it is. Lyrically it is like nothing I have seen before.

I've not seen it, but a relative paid a lot to see it in London and was disappointed with the songs, they thought it was largely normal musical with a bit of rap thrown in, when it's sold as being rap.

They've seen a lot of musicals, but with their partner and its not something they would choose to pay out for themselves, but they were in London and decided to pay a lot for a ticket based on the hype. They said they probably would have rated it higher if it wasn't sold as being all rap/hip-hop and they'd gone to see it with their partner, but it didn't live up to expectations and that tainted the whole thing for them

I think it's a massive grower. I find it very clever and the more I listen the better it gets.

There's an interesting American review of it here:

www.currentaffairs.org/2016/07/you-should-be-terrified-that-people-who-like-hamilton-run-our-country?gclid=CjwKCAjw4rf6BRAvEiwAn2Q76kZTDRzVj_B2mpYeySEwvg11TNQyJhC-3wsMvA4r0X0qDQnpyHkPUBoCk24QAvD_BwE

@destinysdaughter - interesting article. My black partner felt that whilst he generally found it enjoyable he was concerned that casting a largely black cast somehow seemed to give cover to what he describes as a Rogues Gallery.

@jewel1968 I think that's one of the great tensions of the show- many of the characters were slave owners who actively constructed the Constitutional amendments and ethos that havs both blessed and plagued America. There was a really interesting review of Hamilton recently that spoke of the relief felt when watching it in the Trump era- whereas when obama was in charge, audiences were compelled to jump through hoops in their minds to see their country as a success story and the finished article, people no longer feel pressure to see America as the finished, accomplished article and instead find that Hamilton shines a light on yawning flaws.

I came here thinking it was a post about F1 and Lewis ....

Its brilliant live and its quite hard to imagine what it would be like if the tv version was your only experience.
i think an awareness of the story helps and the songs get even better with familiarity.

the idea that its not very good is just so stupid. and the idea that using subtitles will help with the story is evidence that its not very good is risable

Im going to assume that Madame Butterly must be crap because reading the libretto helped me follow the story

Loved it live but less impressed by the filmed version. I didn't know the music/lyrics or indeed the history when I saw it but found the performance and particularly the diction so good that I knew exactly what was going on.
My least favourite bits are those which are most like standard musical fodder, especially some of the female led songs. For context, I can't stand Les Miserables or most Lloyd Webber offerings but appreciate that we all have different tastes.
I think it's dangerous and a wee bit arrogant to describe anything creative as dross. Each to their own.