However, my erudite readers will naturally know about the hugely-hyped production from Broadway. Yessiree, the show about Alexander Hamilton.. cue mega-whooping and hurrahing. Can't hear any? You mean you haven't been following its arrival on social media? You've not familiarised yourself with the songs, so when your favourite character on stage comes on, you cheer and burst into rapturous applause? No? Me neither.
On the suggestion of Son et lumiere, I decided to listen to the song-list on Youtube last Sunday afternoon. I was half-way through the opening track when Dearest emerged from behind the Sunday Times with,
"What the bloody-hell are you listening to?"
"It's what we're going to see on Tuesday night."
"Oh God," he said. Which didn't sound propitious. Nothing worse, than when you are sitting as an invited guest and exuding disaffection. Or sleeping. Sonorously. As he did in Rent, many moons and German Exchanges ago.
But one thing (on a long list containing many... just covering myself, in the unlikely event he reads this while I am still alive) yes, one thing that Dearest is really good at, is embracing new ideas, and being ahead of everyone else. So brand new musical. Tick. Historical setting. Tick. First week of previews in London. Double tick. So I have to say that while Rap is certainly not on his list of loves, I was quietly confident that he would move on from the rap-is-crap attitood.
Hamilton is amazing. Groundbreaking in many ways. Unexpectedly moving and genuinely uplifting. Clever lyrics which you could actually hear. Historically interesting, and aligning with so many contemporary parallels. We all really enjoyed it. I would love to go again. In six months time, possibly, when maybe the youthful over-excitement will have calmed to a level where habitual theatre-goers can simply enjoy the show.
Now I sound like a prig. Or old-fogey. Never mind. Did I tell you I'd been to see Hamilton?
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