‘Hamilton’ exceeds lofty expectations
How rare and wonderful it is when things in life exceed your expectations. Thank you “Hamilton” and Proctors for providing one of those rare occasions.
The musical “Hamilton,” which is playing the Schenectady venue through Aug. 25, is one of those beyond expectation occasions. It’s a theatrical experience that is hard to overpraise.
Rarely are there Broadway musicals that come into town with more hype than “Hamilton,” but few shows deserve the accolades more. The show — with book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda – is groundbreaking in the way it tells a story and the style in which it presents that story.
It is always entertaining, yet it teaches about the past to inform the present. It’s fun to see and to hear and it’s enjoyable to discuss on the ride home.
“Hamilton” is a look at the conflicts and rivalries of those who founded this country. But it’s the way their dedication to a common cause overcame their differences that has you thinking about current politics. As for relevancy, one of the biggest audience responses of the night is when Hamilton and Lafayette high five and boast, “Immigrants get it done.”
Miranda’s genius with “Hamilton” is his ability to tell the life-story of a complicated and neglected Founding Father by showing the man’s strengths and weaknesses. However, the contributions of director Thomas Kail and choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler are equally as amazing.
This is collaborative creativity at the highest level.
There is nothing in “Hamilton” that exists in isolation. Every scene provides an entertainment or a moment of enlightenment on its own. Yet, each scene makes sense of what came before and provides you the background needed to move ahead. If this sounds abstract, it isn’t. This work is presented with as much clarity as it has energy.
One of the great concepts in the show is to portray historical legends like Hamilton, Aaron Burr, Lafayette and James Madison as men with flaws as well as strengths. Miranda makes mythical figures seem human and even silly, without diminishing their stature. It’s a freeing experience to be able to laugh at Thomas Jefferson and still respect his contributions to our country.