27th September Ten years late to the party

 
So the second part of the cultural weekend involved a trip to the cinema to see a version of a stage musical. I know that seems a strange thing to do but just bear with. 

Hamilton has been one of the 'must see' musicals ever since it first hit the stage back in 2015.The trouble is it has only ever toured the UK once, actually it is touring right now,  but prices are as astronomical as trying to get an Oasis ticket, and thats without Ticketmasters help. And whilst I might be 'down wi de boyz in da  hood' I'm not so sure the same could be said about TOM so gave the dates a miss when announced.

So when the chance to go and see a recorded version of the show came up for a fraction of the cost, it was too good a deal to turn down. Indeed to quote one of the better known songs in the show i' wasn't gonna waste my shot! And what a good decision that turned out to be.

It is I think one of the favourite things I have seen, even given that the type of music isn't really my 'go to play' and I knew next to nothing about who Alexander Hamiliton actually was nor that period of US history. But that didnt really matter. The songs were infeciously toe tapping, blending hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B and Broadway. The choreography great and the insertion of modern day humour into the 18th century setting a real treat. And the almost three hour runnign time just flew by.

What I now know is that Hamilton is the story of one of America’s founding fatherS, Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and helped shape the very foundations of the America we know today. 

Now did I hear clearly every single word of the raps that were traded like boxer's punches, probably not, TOM even less so, but we probably heard more than we would have done sat up in the gods in a theatre. And with a recorded version you get to see the action from multiple angles and perspectives so in truth we possibly saw more of the show and its characters than live in the flesh.

A really enjoyable night out, reclining in massive armchair seats, wonderign just how everyone else managed to eat so much popcorn!!

 

 

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