Hamilton (2020)
It's no news that, for the past number of years, Lin Manuel-Miranda's Hamilton has been the hottest show on the Broadway circuit. Taking a very 'white' story of the Founding Fathers of America - particularly Alexander Hamilton - and giving it a contemporary edge through a racially-diverse cast and a fusion of hip hop, R&B, rap and other music genres, was an absolute winning formula for greatness. And now, thanks to the House of Mouse, many of us no longer need to spend our life savings to see the show live! What a treat it was - Hamilton was pretty much everything it was hyped up to be: fantastic music, great performances, a moving story, and a lively theatrical production!
LMM's magnum opus tells the life of Alexander Hamilton (whom he plays in the show) right from Hamilton's early days in America, his important role in the Revolutionary War, his personal and family life with , and then his time with Aaron Burr, and the other Founding Fathers in Congress and through the first few presidencies, and then all the way to Hamilton's final days. It is a comprehensive tale and the show has been repeatedly lauded for its historical accuracy and sizeable historical content. For those unfamiliar with this period of history (such as this Canadian writer), I may recommend a brief read of some of the relevant history either before or after watching Hamilton. Aside from the historical content, I was surprised to see how much depth there was to the show from character-wise. LMM does not shy away from the darker and unglamorous aspects of Hamilton's story as he stays true to the facts. This type of honest and evocative storytelling will surely be one of the reasons why Hamilton remains a Broadway tentpole for many years to come.
Now, onto the show itself. Hamilton was very clearly a passion project for LMM - there is an energy and fervor running through the entirety of the show, which runs the gamut of full-cast show stopping numbers to intimate character solos. Some of my favourite songs were "Yorktown", "My Shot", "Satisfied" and the King's fabulous and recurring "You'll Be Back". As with all musicals, Hamilton has had a rotating cast over the years, however, Disney+'s recorded performance from 2016 thankfully has LMM in the title role, as well as Leslie Odom Jr., Renee Elise Goldsberry, Phillipa Soo, Christopher Jackson, Daveed Diggs, and (surprisingly) Jonathon Groff in the major roles. All of the cast was astounding and all of the main stars each have their own songs to shine and delight with. This may irk some people, however, I actually found LMM to have a weaker voice than most of the rest of the starring cast (don't kill me...).
Overall, Hamilton is an astounding production that deserves to be seen by all. For those of us without the particular means to see the show live, the new Disney+ version serves more than adequately. The film coverage is great and the audio is impeccable. It is a great option as something to watch for any night in.
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