Here’s Why Everyone’s Obsessed With Hamilton
Lin Manuel Miranda revolutionised (pun intended) the musical theatre stage when he premiered Hamilton, a show dedicated to telling the history of America’s Founding Father’s and other figures central to shaping the U.S.A into the country it is today. Unlike other musicals before it, for instance Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins is somewhat in a similar vein, the reason for the success of Hamilton and the global obsession with it is due to a unique blend of factors.
Let’s start with the music.
Unlike your average musical, which follows largely a 4 chord system and has a specific formula when it comes to track lists (ballads, overtures, reprises, finale), Hamilton has a completely new approach. Manuel Miranda’s sound is a unique blend of hip-hop, rap and just a dash of pop ballad at points. But that’s a summary of what the overall musical impression is, the reality is that there are at least 50 different musical genre influences in there and all of the pieces stand alone when they aren’t being performed on the stage.
It is definitely still a musical, but opposed to staying true to the simple, easily memorable melodies which are the standard, here the sound world is unique and authentic. The cross rhythms are complicated, the vocal range is challenging and because of this, it is equally popular to the general musical goer and the professional musician alike; it challenges and entertains in equal measures.
Cast wise, people are obsessed with Hamilton because of the fact that the cast is largely Hispanic and African American, which is a fantastic opportunity for musical theatre to move forward from its previously white dominated cast of characters.
To quote a Guardian article from 2017, this isn’t ‘colour blinding cast’ but instead one that is open to all individuals wanting to work on the musical theatre stage. That absence of exclusivity and discrimination is as unique as the overall sound, uniting the message of country as collective with representation of this in the putting together of the performances. The messages it sends are ones urging for the eradication of racism and the need for Feminism in times both past and present.
In conclusion, people are obsessed with Hamilton because not only does it tell the story of America in a way that makes history engaging but it also celebrates diversity through the music and the cast performing it.
It is an opportunity for the world to feel like it has been transported back to America in 1776 New York, with the recent publication of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense and new ideas everywhere
In other words?
With ‘revolution in the air’ of the theatre, leaving it is easy to believe that if change happened once to make the world better it can do so again. Hamilton remains the hope that we need in an age where politics and public attitudes have never been so polarised and in need of something to unite to make a better future instead of a discriminative one.
