On the off chance that there are still people out there who don’t have at least a baseline awareness of what “Hamilton” is, I’ll give you the gist. It is a hip-hop-driven musical retelling of the story of Alexander Hamilton, from his early days as a penniless immigrant all the way to his tragic demise. Inspired by Ron Chernow’s extensive biography of Hamilton, with book, music and lyrics by Miranda (who also originated the role and plays it here), it tells the tale of Hamilton’s role in shaping the nation that America would become in its earliest days.
The first act is Hamilton’s rise. We see him make his way up the ladder during the Revolutionary War, serving directly beneath General George Washington (Christopher Jackson). He befriends notable figures such as John Laurens (Anthony Ramos), Hercules Mulligan (Okieriete Onaodowan) and the Marquis de Lafayette (Daveed Diggs); in addition, a real rivalry begins to develop between Hamilton and Aaron Burr (Leslie Odom Jr.). He also meets the brilliant and beguiling Schuyler sisters. First comes Angelica (Renee Goldsberry), who puts aside the attraction between herself and Hamilton to introduce him to her younger sister Eliza (Phillipa Soo), who he will eventually marry. Hamilton fights to be given his own command, the only way a man without financial or familial means can truly advance.
Act II is the governmental Hamilton, the man whose ideas about governmental finance led to his being named the first Secretary of the Treasury in Washington’s cabinet. Of course, a man of import is going to face some opposition. There’s the aforementioned Burr, of course. He also runs up against a couple of other guys whose names might ring a bell: Thomas Jefferson (Diggs) and James Madison (Onaodowan). Meanwhile, Hamilton’s personal life takes some less than savory and ultimately tragic turns. And all the while, he is moving inexorably toward the confrontation that, for many, is one of the few things we still remember about this intellectual and political giant.
There’s a reason “Hamilton” exploded onto the scene the way that it did. It was a theatrical experiment and experience unlike anything audiences had seen before. By incorporating the musicality and themes of hip-hop into this retelling of America, Miranda created a compelling and emotionally compelling theatrical event, one in which once-silenced voices were allowed to tell the tale in their own way. This blend of sensibilities seems counterintuitive – people of color representing the all-white cohort – but in practice, it is a seamless and fascinating commentary on the origins of America and the dreams that its birth allowed to come true.
And then there’s the music. High-minded ideas and ideologies are important to quality theatre, but if your musical doesn’t have great music, you’re dead in the water. “Hamilton” has great music; Miranda has folded hip-hop sensibilities into a musical framework in a way that no one ever has. Make no mistake – this is still very much musical theatre. It’s just a different flavor, one that tastes all the better for its unconventionality.
(There are seriously a LOT of killer songs here. “Alexander Hamilton” and “My Shot” are noted bangers. “Guns and Ships” and “The Room Where It Happens.” The bounce of “Washington on Your Side” and the pathos of “It’s Quiet Uptown.” The haughty hilarity of “You’ll Be Back.” Oh, and Cabinet debates rendered as rap battles, which is one of the most inspired things I’ve ever seen onstage. And on and on and on – it’s the sort of show where every song is someone’s favorite.)
The performances are incredible across the board. Miranda is the right blend of bold and broken as Hamilton; his command of the stage and the story is total. Odom does masterful work as Burr, finding great ways to bear his heavy share of the storytelling load. This show made Diggs a star; his dual turns as Lafayette and Jefferson are jaw-dropping. His preening, self-assured, superior Jefferson is phenomenal – the energy in his Cabinet face-offs with Hamilton alone is worth the price of admission. Soo wrings real heartbreak and pathos from her turn as Eliza; it’s a remarkable performance. Ditto Goldsberry. Jackson’s Washington crushes. Onaodowan spits hot fire throughout; his Mulligan goes HARD. And Jonathan Groff is a highlight among highlights as the mincing, arrogant King George. But here’s the thing – literally everyone is amazing. Every member of this ensemble works as part of this gorgeous, gliding machine.
“Hamilton” succeeds because it doesn’t try to hide the artifice of the theatre. Instead, it embraces it. It works on film precisely because it doesn’t seek to be a film. It uses the tools of one medium in order to allow us to experience another – and shockingly little is lost in translation. This show is a remarkable accomplishment, powerful and provocative and unabashedly itself. And the fact that we can watch such an effective version in our own homes, well … that too is remarkable.
History has its eyes on you.
[5 out of 5]
