With mum in town, it’s time for date night. And this time, I came prepared.
We had tickets to Hamilton at the Victoria Theatre, and honestly, it was nothing short than a work of genius. That word is thrown around a lot, but the more I think about it, the more it feels like the only valid descriptor.
For those who don’t know the plot, Hamilton follows the story of the eponymous Alexander Hamilton, one of America’s Founding Fathers. Across two acts, it covers his early life and the War of Independence, and then his battles either other leaders, his family, and even his friends.
It was a gripping story, but what grabbed me was the intricacy of the music. Delivered almost entirely through rap music, it somehow managed to tell a story set in the 18th century in detail while still incorporating samples and lyrics from contemporary artists. The references are subtle and are not self-referential, unless you know your Jay-Z, you wouldn’t know that some of his lyrics had been repurposed into the story. I caught a few cases, and am sure there were many more.
Overall, the whole experience was a delight and one of the highlights of our trip. I would recommend everyone to go see it, but would encourage you to do some research beforehand. I spent 20 minutes deep diving on ChatGPT the morning of, and it made a considerable difference.