REVIEW: Hamilton Rises Up & Mesmerizes Boston Audience
I’ve been a longtime fan of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical. Hamilton animatics, animated video versions of Hamilton‘s songs, introduced me to the story and music of the Broadway play. Gradually, the soundtrack’s variety of songs became a part of my daily playlist. I’ve watched Hamilton on Disney. Overall, the story and music captivated me. Sadly, I never had the opportunity to see the musical live.
Hamilton is a musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda about the life of Alexander Hamilton. The play highlights the role Alexander Hamilton played in the American revolution and the founding of the United States of America. Additionally, it’s the perfect blend of hip-pop and history.
On September 24th, I got the opportunity to see Hamilton at the Citizens Opera House. It was a mesmerizing experience that impressed me by how the stage transformed for each song. For “Alexander Hamilton,” the opening song, the stage was a ship. By untying the rope, moving a stair case, and adding a bar stand, the cast smoothly transitioned the stage into a tavern for “Aaron Burr Sir.”
Seeing Hamilton live helped me see all the little details I had missed in the movie version, such as a lady working the bar at the tavern and onlookers chatting with each other. Those little details made the musical set look more realistic.
When I saw some people in the ensemble smiling, I clearly saw their passion on stage. Even though I just met the actors, I saw the hours of work they had put into memorizing dances and songs. The dances were so intricate because their moments were in sync with the music’s melody like how the high kicks emphasized the beat drop in “YorkTown.” During “My Shot,” the way the ensemble raised their hands in salute to the exact beat of the music foreshadowed that Hamilton would one day become an important person in history. Moreover, the movement conveyed to the audience why Aaron Burr saw Hamilton as a threat.
Marja Harmon, the actor who played Angelica Schuyler, sung “Satisfied” in a way that accentuates the confusion Angelica was facing as an older sister and the one responsible for her family’s legacy. Angelica had to choose between her love for her sister and her love life. That burden clearly took a toll on Angelica and impacted her decision in “Satisfied.”
Did Angelica really have the freedom to make that choice or did her responsibilities push her to make that decision? Through the display of Hamilton and Eliza’s marriage from Angelica’s point of view and Angelica voice and facial expressions, her performance really captivated the dilemma Angelica faced.
In “Who lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story,” the different verses from each character highlighted the marks they left on history. The dim blue light showed Eliza’s sadness after her husband died. Furthermore, the song reveals opening an orphanage and telling Hamilton’s story is how Eliza dealt with her grief.
Those are some details the movie was unable to bring to watchers of Hamilton at home. Watching the musical in person is different because you are able to fully immerse yourself in sensory details like the lights dimming and volume and pitch of the song. Those details are necessary to bring the story to life.
However, this Hamilton performance was spectacular. I recommend others see Hamilton while it’s playing at Citizens Opera House until November 2. Tickets are available at Broadway in Boston.
