Midlife guide to… Hamilton-mania

Are you excited about Hamilton? Everyone is excited about Hamilton… Oh, is he finally going to repay all that tax on his private jet? If so, yes, that’s excellent news and long overdue. No, I mean Hamilton: An American Musical. You’d have to be wilfully ignorant to have not heard of it. Its New York run won 11 Tony Awards, a Grammy, a Pulitzer, offended US Vice President Mike Pence, introduced hip-hop to a whole new audience, and made $600,000 (£444,934) in profit each week of its run. Now, after more than a year of hype and delays, it is finally transferring to London, where it is the hottest West End ticket in aeons. I see. Well, what’s it about? Broadly, it’s about a politician… Wait, are you telling me a hip-hop musical about disgraced former Tatton

MP and minor celebrity Neil Hamilton won a Grammy, and I missed it? Er, Alexander Hamilton, a lesser-known Founding Father, who climbed out of poverty to become one of the most powerful figures in Civil War-era America. And why on earth is anybody over here interested in that? Hype, really, but Hamilton’s success is mainly thanks to its music and innovative storytelling. The show’s visionary creator and original star, Lin-manuel Miranda, packed the production with hiphop songs, meaning the cast recording has been a hit over here for months. It’s the classic musical repackaged and made cool for the 21st century: a history lesson told through rap. Well, I’d like a ticket in lieu of my usual Christmas panto, especially to see this Mr Miranda in action. Ah, a couple of issues there. When the show opens on Wednesday at London’s newly refurbished Victoria Palace Theatre, it will do so with a brand new, mostly British cast, including a relative newcomer in the title role. It’s also completely, entirely, totally sold out. Ah well. Shane Richie as Robin Hood in Woking it is, then. Again.