HAMILTON THEATRE REVIEW BY PIPPA WARRINER

Hamilton was directed by Thomas Kail Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ron Sherno. Hamilton was first performed in 2013 at Vassar College, then performed once more off Broadway on February 17th in 2015 at a public theatre and finally reached Broadway August 6 th in 2015 at Richard Rodgers Theatre (also home to Miranda’s 2008 Broadway debut ‘In the Heights’).

The Plot of Hamilton - The Play is about America Forefathers, the founding fathers of the United States that led war and built governments. The Play consisted of many major themes. These include a theme of family shown through the Schyler sisters mainly as they help each other through tough times, a theme of journey as the war ends during the play and not only physical journey but Hamilton mentally grows by learning many lessons and laws/governments. A final theme of power though, as mentioned, government shows lots of power and the war (that the US had won) shows the immense capability and strength of the country. The mood of the piece seems to have an overall energetic and up beat mood with moments of tension and sorrow. In the Play there were unexpected twists that I have chosen not to mention as it may spoil the musical. 

The Actors - In the play, Hamilton, there can be a mixture of realistic and stereotyped characters, there were many moments where characters where empathetic, as an example one character cared for Eliza when she discovered what her husband had been doing and his behaviour. In the play, Hamilton was the protagonist and Aaron Burr is the antagonist. The standard of acting was incredibly strong and performers all sang and dances throughout the whole experience. 

The Design, Set and Costume - The costumes in the play are very nicely detailed, lavish and fun. The set also has the ability to move which can be used at multiple point during the play. The only problem was that the set seemed quite simple and could have had additions to make the audience immersed in the location.

Personal response  While watching Hamilton I felt amused, entertained and inspired due to how the show had been created with many different styles of music using the staging, costume and props. From the start of the show I felt fully engaged by the performing and the lyrics in the songs. As well as being entertained I found out about American history, the show had explored the idea of legacy and how stories are told. Here are some of the best aspects of Hamilton; the use of space, the facial expressions and gestures used throughout the whole performance. I would recommend this play to others because you can learn about the past of the US, they have a very diverse casting and the songs are also very recommended. 

Hamilton Review - Pippa.pdf