Hamilton’s back – and it’s still the West End’s must-see musical
Hamilton
Victoria Palace Theatre, London SW1 ★★★★★
‘What time is it? Showtime!” Lin-manuel Miranda’s awe-inspiring modern musical is back. London has pipped New York to the post in restoring it to the repertoire of must-sees, which means it was the West End version that flew the flag on the 20th anniversary of 9/11.
At any time post-covid, the return of this landmark show – which thrillingly crosses period detail and dress with modern urban sounds, evoking Manhattan in gestation, and a nation in formation – would be inspiring. At this particular milestone, there’s a poignant sense of shared endeavour.
As much as Hamilton offers a witty and stirring history lesson, charting the bullet-fast rise and demise of founding father Alexander Hamilton, it maps out the emergence of the global order we have so come to depend on. In the first half, it details America’s independence struggle, requiring force of arms; in the second, it pivots to battles over the constitution. It takes brawn and brain, graft and craft, to build a country and the message for Brits is that we lost “the colonies”, but later benefited from America’s military muscle and high ideals, a gain felt in every beat of its zesty, rap-smitten score, combative and ideas-rich.
But this “young, scrappy and hungry” country is no angel. Hamilton the man embodies can-do dynamism but the show critiques as much as it celebrates; he’s driven, flawed, unfaithful. The musical, for all the pluralism denoted by its mainly non-white cast, was criticised amid the Black Lives Matter surge for minimising references to slavery. Miranda publicly castigated himself, but the genius of the piece is that it asks questions, seems open-ended; the initiative handed to the audience.
The musical’s suggestion of epic patterns of history and corresponding threads of individual narrative is brilliantly expressed in Thomas Kail’s production. On the one hand, there’s needle-sharp ensemble finesse; Andy Blankenbuehler’s choreography astounds. On the other, there’s room for personal touches. If you think you’ve seen Hamilton (and that includes the Disney+ stream), then you’re missing the value of repeat views, the wonder of live performance.
Heading a partially recast company, newcomer Karl Queensborough exudes an edgy confidence. Other actors bring fresh inflections to the songs and patter, augmenting the sense of real-time decision-making. I loved the ambushing comic emphases and chilling venomous glances of Harry Hepple’s King George. As Hamilton’s nemesis Aaron Burr, Simon-anthony Rhoden richly suggests a surface affability stalked by envy. Trevor Dion Nicholas lends the potentially secondary role of George Washington a commanding presence and roof-raising vocal prowess.
The women are sensational: Lydia Fraser induces sympathy in her restraint as Hamilton’s loyal wife Eliza, Ava Brennan demonstrates poise and a quick wit as her sister Angelica. Touch the mahogany wood of the Victoria Palace, theatreland is back, but don’t dawdle to catch this.