I'd owned the tickets for almost a year, and had dreamed about the success of my gift. They'd gaze at it in awe, then look at me with misty-eyed gratitude. "How did you manage to get these?" they'd gasp, aware that the show's initial London run had sold out almost a year before it opened. They would be amongst the first in London to get in on this phenomenon. I would be a hero.
It didn't work that way. Because on 25 December 2017, the London Bencards had never heard of Hamilton. The show had been drenched in good reviews on its official opening, but that was only four days earlier. They'd missed the news. The description of a hip hop musical about the United States' first secretary of the treasury raised sceptical eyebrows. They received my gift politely, but were unenthusiastic. And I wondered ... had I made a mistake? Would a show about American history resonate with Brits? Would the modern music element turn off the family with whom I was more likely to attend baroque opera or Gilbert and Sullivan? My musical-hating, pop culture-averse husband had already made it clear that he was an unenthusiastic attendee. As our show date approached, I grew worried.
My sense of relief as we left the Victoria Palace last night was palpable. They loved it. Even the husband admitted enjoyment. Hamilton's magic extends to grab those who are ignorant of, or resistant to, its weighty reputation.
And me? I adored it. Compelling music, gripping lyrics, a tremendously talented cast delivering a performance that hooks you from the first minute and doesn't let go. One powerful scene follows another at a breathless pace; even the quiet moments demand and reward your full attention. But that was as expected. I've been jealously watching American friends rave about the show for two years, am entranced by the Ron Chernow biography on which it's based and have been listening to the soundtrack for the past month. You could consider Hamilton the most successful journalist of all time, which gives him a special place in my heart.
But what about the Brits, currently free of hype and generally strangers to the history on which this show is based? Here's why that won't matter a jot.
Hamilton is Shakespearean
Take a charismatic hero who reaches giddy heights, only to be brought down by his own hubris. Add sophisticated villains, Machiavellian plots and innocents unfairly wronged, all playing at personal dramas that will ripple outwards to change a nation. These are the same plot points and emotional hooks that make Richard II, Julius Caesar or Macbeth work. True, this is foundational American history. But the story no more needs an awareness of early American politics than you require insight into Medieval Danish history to enjoy Hamlet. Hamilton's plot line plugs in to some of the most enduring themes of human existence: ambition, desire, honour, legacy. And the one that drives us to the climax: envy. Hamilton belongs in an awe-inspiring box set with Othello and Amadeus as the best-ever examinations of how the little green monster can break colleagues apart and send them spiralling towards tragedy, carrying others with them as they go. In a country where The Bard is just as current today as he was 400 years ago, Hamilton's Shakespearean elements make it a comfortable cultural fit. Hamilton celebrates the English language
Confession time: pre-Hamilton my impression of hip hop and rap was of monosyllabic, profanity-fuelled rantings about base instincts and brutal lives, blasted out in an irritating percussive dim. Now I see them as valid art forms, closer to poetry than music, perhaps unique in their ability to pack meaningful words into a story with fast-paced density. This musical may be a child of our soundbite age, but rather than dumbing anything down, writer Lin-Manuel Miranda has delivered the weight of literature at high speed. Listening to Hamilton is like standing in front of a fire hose of artfully crafted words and phrases. There are poetic constructions (Hamilton's wife Eliza sings achingly of "palaces of paragraphs" when she describes how his love letters won her), literary allusions (Washington is the model of the modern major general, Hamilton is Icarus flying too close to the sun) and countless remarkably clever rhymes. Brits love their language, and wordplay with it. Hamilton delivers a rare gift for them to enjoy.
Hamilton has memorable music
I feared that a "hip hop musical" wouldn't be pleasant listening. Wrong. While the poetically lyric style of the rap and hip hop tradition run throughout, melodies range across jazz, r&b and soul. There are a few stonking love ballads and comic pieces that would, on melody alone, sit comfortably in older, traditional musicals. Few modern shows, however, send you out the door with such a broad choice of tunes to hum. Though the style may be modern, the musical virtuosity of Hamilton sends you back to the blockbusters of Rogers and Hammerstein, when every tune was both memorable and integral to the plot. Or you could go even further back. There are several points where different characters, singing their own melodies and stories, come together in an intricate counterpoint that finds its closest parallel in Mozart's operas. Even the most musically worthy (my husband and brother-in-law were debating the merits of various versions of Handel oratorios on the way in) will find plenty to like here.
Hamilton showcases London's artistic talent
This is the first version of Hamilton to run outside of the United States and, in line with the "young, scrappy and hungry" ethos, the cast is full of fresh, largely unknown actors. The kids won't stay that way for long. The quality of both voices and acting ... flawless less than four weeks into their run ... says a lot about the continuing strength of the UK's talent pipeline. Fresh out of drama school, Jamael Westman has been garnering raves for his performance in the lead role. The director has decided to split the glory, however, and on our night we saw the alternate, Ash Hunter (pictured above, in white). His Hamilton was charming, sexy and looks a bit like Aidan Turner, a useful shortcut to draw the Poldark-loving nation into the 18th century. His beautiful tenor ranged easily from the powerful to the poignant. While there's no real attempt to make the actors look older, his voice and acting do the work as Hunter takes us from bright, ambitious spark through crushed, tired power broker. Rachel John's Angelica Schyler was the strongest amongst a trio of impressive female voices. Obioma Ugoala's Washington has a voice that drips warm honey. It's unfair to call any individuals out, however, as the whole cast is equally strong. Several of them worked together on Motown: The Musical; a logical match for the vocal style. And Shakespearean experience ... him again ... is rife across the team. The director is on record saying that those comfortable with Shakespeare had the easiest time mastering the dense lyrics.
Hamilton is funny
From eviscerating wit to puerile slapstick, the English prize humour as one of the highest forms of human interaction. A favourite criticism of other countries is lack of it. The Germans such an odd sense of humour only other Germans get it, Americans don't grasp irony, etc. Hamilton is a proof point against those American criticisms while giving the London audience much to laugh at. Though it's a serious story, there is plenty of both clever, intellectual jibes and simple physical humour here. Thomas Jefferson's grand entry will have you in stiches, thanks to Jason Pennycooke's impish portrayal (above, in pink). The real show stealer, however, is Michael Jibson's King George (below). Though he's probably on stage as the monarch for less than 12 minutes total (otherwise Jibson's part of the chorus), his hysterically funny delivery of the song "You'll be back", meditating on the rejection of his colonies and their future without him, is one of the most memorable parts of the evening. Evidently this was one of the few bits of the show changed from New York, with a more splendid costume and staging to give "the local side" a bit to cheer for. Given the reaction of the audience, I'd say it worked.
Hamilton is topical
Political parties at each other's throats. Parties imploding from within due to strong personalities. Angry battles in the media with accusations of fake news. A time of enormous change with an uncertain future. Specifics of news stories might differ on either side of the pond, but these themes resonate in the UK just as strongly as in the United States. If you consider the American revolution and its aftermath as one big Brexit analogy, Hamilton might actually be more topical here than in New York. (Sadly, I fear we don't have any brains as big as Hamilton's and Jefferson's to debate our future.) Hamilton and Lafayette's shared line before the battle of Yorktown ... "immigrants, we get the job done" ... got the biggest spontaneous cheer of the night. The politics connect across the centuries.
I have no doubt that Hamilton will settle into the same kind of institutional run that shows like Phantom, Les Mis and The Mousetrap have enjoyed for decades. In fact, so sure are the theatre owners of this fact that they totally gutted and renovated the Victoria Palace just for this show. The interiors are now sparkling as brightly as Hamilton's London prospects.
The current ticket release runs through late June and is sold out, though there is a lottery for returns every day. The next release of tickets goes on sale Monday, 29 July at noon UK time. In an effort to prevent the exorbitantly priced scalping that's plagued the show in the States, Hamilton in London only has electronic tickets. The person who purchased the tickets must be there with photo ID matching their name, and the credit card with which they booked. Once the door security checks your ID, a staff member with a hand-held printer gives you your tickets at the door. This means there's a big queue to get in, but it moves quickly.
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