Oh,
Lin-Manuel Miranda, swooping in right when we need him most. It was the
pandemic that caused this filmed recording of the OBC of Hamilton to be released more than a year early, on Disney+ instead
of in theaters. In the time since this release was first announced, a political
revolution also kicked off, and on this 4th of July, it was very
welcome to receive this gift of the original cast of Hamilton on my screen.
Alexander
Hamilton, one of the OGs of the American Revolution, accomplishes the incredible
due to his skill with the written word.
Born poor and illegitimate in the Caribbean, he makes it to New York and
hits the ground running. Hamilton is
armed with his passion, persistence, and clever/audacious verbosity, and he
soon finds friends (like the Marquis de Lafayette, John Laurens, and Hercules
Mulligan,) mentors (George Washington,) rivals (Aaron Burr,) and opponents
(like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.)
He throws himself into the revolution, and later, the forging of a new
nation, with unquenchable tenacity.
It
was so good to see this show again. I
treasure every recorded stage performance of a show – even when they’re shows
that I don’t connect with as much personally, it’s still such a gift to have
these moments in time captured. I know it’s not the same experience as seeing
the show live, but that doesn’t mean these filmed recordings can’t be powerful
in their own right (here, the tearing up started in “It’s Quiet Uptown” and
continued on and off before really bringing it home in “Who Lives, Who Dies,
Who Tells Your Story.”) To have that moment captured with this show, with this cast? Forget about it.
I
loved revisiting all the little touches in the production design and the stage
directions. The way an ensemble member “carries” the bullet from the fateful
duel. King George’s costume growing less elaborate every time he comes onstage
as he gets more downtrodden. Hercules Mulligan throwing flower petals at the
wedding. The way the party scene from “Helpless” is reconstructed and
recontextualized in “Satisfied.” Jefferson making it rain with copies of the
Reynolds Pamphlet. The ensemble surrounding Hamilton at his desk during the “How
do you write like tomorrow won’t arrive?” lines in “Non-Stop.” Burr jumping on
the table in “The Room Where It Happened” as an ensemble member pulls off the
tablecloth. Seeing it again, I noticed even more, like the Schuyler sisters’
dresses changing in style during the second act to reflect changes in fashion
over the years (but keeping the same color scheme!) So much thought went into
every moment of this show.
I
will say, though, that the camera work here isn’t the best. I know that the
actual filming on these filmed recordings can be hit or miss, and on a show
like Hamilton with so much going on,
it must be difficult to decide when and where to focus the cameras. I couldn’t
help comparing this recording to the one of Falsettos,
which feels so well-shot (but again, Falsettos
only has a cast of seven – a lot more happening onstage in Hamilton.)
And
those performances – my god! Miranda’s Hamilton was the only one I hadn’t seen
before, since he was out sick the day I saw the original cast on Broadway. He’s
more subdued than I expected. That buzzing energy that I associate with both
him and the character comes through at points, especially in the cabinet
battles, but I was a little surprised not to see more of it. I wonder if this is
a good representation of how he played the character, or if it’s more
reflective of him nearing the end of his tenure in the role and maybe being a
little worn out.
With
everyone else, seeing them here brought the memories flooding back. There are no weak links in this chain. Anthony
Ramos is earnest and energetic in his dual roles as John Laurens and Philip
Hamilton. After getting in a little comic relief as Peggy in Act I, Jasmine
Cephas Jones unleashes strong vocals to play Maria Reynolds in Act II. Okieriete
Onaodowan wins the prize for best contrast between Acts I and II – Hercules Mulligan
is so dynamic and gritty, and Madison is a total cold fish. Jonathan Groff’s
King George is such a sassy bitch (and his spit-fueled singing is now preserved
for the ages!) Phillipa Soo’s vocals as Eliza are just so pure, and again, she destroys me in the finale. Christopher
Jackson’s Washington brings such a stable, grounding presence to the show.
Renée Elise Goldsberry is a phenomenal Angelica, and she tears the roof off of “Satisfied.”
Leslie Odom Jr.’s vocals are smooth as silk, and I love the way his Burr grows
into such a fascinating foil for Hamilton. And Daveed Diggs, as both Lafayette
and Jefferson, is an absolute charisma bomb, making the most of every second he’s
onstage.
Warnings
Swearing,
sexual content, violence, drinking, and thematic elements.
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