REVIEW: Hamilton really is the greatest show on earth
At one stage the star had to pause singing to wait for the applause and screaming to die down. Yes, it’s true, Hamilton does live up to all the hype, writes Phil Brown. FULL REVIEW
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Imagine if I wrote a bad review about Hamilton! Somebody would probably challenge me to a duel I and that would be entirely appropriate.
The thing is … this musical created by Lin-Manuel Miranda is nothing less than spectacular.
There has never been a show like it and there probably never will be.
It’s unique in that it entertains and educates at the same time. I mean I don’t go to the theatre for a history lecture but I got one on Tuesday night in the Lyric Theatre at QPAC and I’m all the better for it.
And it only took three hours. I’m sure it would take me a lot longer than that to read Ron Chernow’s 800-page biography of Alexander Hamilton, which reclaims his place as one of America’s most significant founding fathers.
Lin-Manuel Miranda read that book and turned it into an award-winning hit musical blending history and fancy with hip-hop, jazz, soul, R&B and Broadway show tunes. Incredible.
The history around the American War of Independence is fascinating, particularly considering it in light of our own and the French Revolution.
The attention to historical integrity in Hamilton is maintained and sets it apart from many other adaptations. Ron Chernow has praised Miranda for being “smart enough to know that the best way to dramatise a story was to stick as close to the facts as possible”.
No need to embellish it anyway because the real story is dramatic enough and full of wonderful characters including the French revolutionary, the Marquis de Lafayette, played by Victory Ndukwe who is also Thomas Jefferson in this production.
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Having just been to Paris recently and having dropped some euros shopping in Galeries Lafayette (which takes its name from the street named after the man) I was interested to know more about Lafayette who fought with the Americans against the British.
So as I was watching the show I was listening to the words intently (it’s rapid fire so you have to concentrate) for the historical stuff and I may read some more about that soon. Not sure if I can face Chernow’s 800-page book but glad Lin-Manuel Miranda did.
But of course Hamilton is so much more than just a history lesson. I would venture to say at this stage, having seen it twice now, that it’s probably the greatest show on earth.
Finally here’s a show that lives up to the hype. It’s clever, funny, tragic, edifying and even at three hours it’s not too long. Can’t believe I just said that. Those are three hours I will never get back but this time I don’t care. I frickin loved this show.
Does it help that it has a killer cast? Hell yes.
I was particularly waiting for Brisbane boy Sami Afuni to take the stage. He plays two roles – Hercules Mulligan (a spy during the Revolutionary War) and James Madison (one of Hamilton’s enemies who went on to become a US president) and the crowd roared when he turned up.
This former Indooroopilly State High School student is a talented rapper but this is his first theatrical gig and he absolutely killed it. When you start your theatre career in Hamilton you’re doing all right Sami.
There is never a dull moment in this show and everyone is brilliant.
Jason Arrow is so good as Alexander Hamilton, the man who was George Washington’s right-hand man and first Federal Treasurer of the USA. Interesting that our own Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers was in the audience.
Arrow never misses a beat and I know he’s a music lover having had lunch with him. He is terrific and I’m in awe of his talent. He commands the stage for the whole show.
His nemesis is politician and lawyer Aaron Burr and in case you haven’t seen the show I won’t say too much about that except to say that young Indigenous star Callan Purcell knocks it out of the park. What a voice! What a presence!
Martha Berhane is lovely as Eliza Hamilton, wife of Alexander and Matu Ngaropo is excellent as the great George Washington. But everyone is good, no-one lets the team down.
And what about Brent Hill as King George! Talk about comic brilliance! Hilarious.
The cast is diverse and that works a treat and seems entirely natural.
Lin-Manuel Miranda wanted this to be “a story of America then told by America now” and that makes perfect sense.
The orchestra under music director Laura Tipoki is amazing and it really has to be because music is the heart of the show and this is not your average musical so it is challenging musically.
The Brisbane audience went … what’s the word? … ape sh*t on opening night in the Lyric Theatre at QPAC and at one stage Jason Arrow had to pause his singing to wait for the applause and screaming to die down.
What a night! What a show!
Although one of my colleagues did report hearing a man complaining in the drinks line that there was an awful lot of hip-hop music in it. What the hell?! Somebody missed the point entirely. Oh well.
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