Finally in the Room Where it Happens: Hamilton Experience
I was so concerned about the toilet queue during Intermission that I ran to the toilet like I was running out of time.
As a Literature student, it probably comes as no surprise that I enjoy musicals immensely. I wouldn’t call myself a superfan (mainly because I have a lot of difficulty deciphering lyrics through auditory means), but I do have a main playlist titled Musical Jammy Jams. I first got into Hamilton thanks to my brother – he has a habit of blasting music on full volume whenever he showers, and in 2019, he kept blasting “The Schyler Sisters” on repeat. I then listened to the entire playlist and fell in love.
During Singapore’s circuit breaker in 2020, someone leaked the original Broadway cast version of Hamilton onto YouTube (as a slime tutorial video) and I ate up the WHOLE THING. I would have totally watched the official recording on Disney+ as well if I had the streaming platform.
In the days leading to Hamilton’s showing in Singapore, my encounters with the musical mainly revolved around Weird Al Yankovic’s 5-minute mash-up of the entire soundtrack. A huge shout out goes to my friend for passing me her queue number on the day that tickets were first released! I remember that I had an exam that evening and I was frantically trying to settle the tickets with my parents while waiting to enter the exam hall. I’m not too sure why we rushed since there were still seats after that day, but that’s being kiasu (fear of losing) for you. This same friend got me a Hamilton programme booklet from the United States in 2020 (in the few months of peace before COVID-19 hit our shores) so she’s definitely a real one!
Cast
I was absolutely in love with the cast! In particular, the actor who played Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson (David Park) had us shocked because he was just that amazing. His vibe as Lafayette vs Jefferson was completely different, and he added his own twist to Jefferson. At one point, I swear he even Fortnite danced (?) The actor who played Alexander Hamilton (Jason Arrow) was supremely talented as well. He sounded nearly like Lin Manuel Miranda and changed his voice at some points (which I thought was a unique twist). I also enjoyed the portrayals of Aaron Burr, George Washington and the Schyler Sisters as well! Let’s just say that we were smitten by the cast. The ensemble was superb as well and I greatly enjoyed this staging of Hamilton.
You can take a look at the fantastic cast by clicking here.
Not exactly cast-related, but I have something to say about the orchestra as well. It’s always fun to sit next to a band kid during musicals because they can point out the instruments being used and stuff. What I enjoy most about musicals is the music since I have difficulty hearing lyrics, and the orchestra did not disappoint. The drummer was especially cool.
Set and Costumes
I was in love with the set design and costume choices! I think what I looked forward most in terms of costumes were the dresses of Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy. But I thought that it was so cool how the British and Americans were separated by red coats and blue coats (respectively), which adheres to history. I enjoyed the costume shifts toward the end of the first act when the United States achieved independence.
In terms of the set, the revolving stage was so exciting! I think it’s different to see musicals online versus in real life, because my sister and I were so interested in the rewind scene during “Satisfied” although we already knew what was going to happen.
My favourite scene was the Reynolds pamphlet distribution part when the cast began scattering the letters that Hamilton leaked all over the stage (and over Hamilton). It was funny and damning at the same time, knowing that Hamilton’s reputation was going to be tarnished and that Eliza was going to be humiliated by his affair.
Where We Sat
The theatre was split into three storeys, and we were situated in the last row of the second storey (most left). I was so concerned that we wouldn’t be able to see much since we were so far away from the middle, but we eventually decided on these seats because they were closest to the exit. Furthermore, the seats toward the middle were about $60 more expensive. Fortunately, we were able to see everything and could even see the orchestra at work (the aspect that my sister was most intrigued by).
The show was nearly perfect, except for the four people sitting in front of us. Two of them kept using their phones to check their messages during the performance. One of them kept coughing badly without a mask and if you know me, I’m a germaphobe. I was scolded by my mother for making a loud remark during intermission about how people should wear their masks if they’re sick (she calls this “spinster” behaviour) but I was so irritated and had to restrain myself from kicking her seat. To cut them some slack, although they were very noisy before the commencement of the first act and during the intermission, they stayed quiet during the performance itself.
Other than that, I enjoyed Hamilton immensely!
My Parents Went in Blind
For context, my father isn’t a big fan of plays, musicals, or literature in general. However, he appreciates this family bonding time (I think…) and thus always accompanies us to theatre performances. Kudos to him for managing to stay awake and for appreciating the costuming. However, he couldn’t really catch what was going on. My mother enjoys theatre and was surprised that this was a rap musical. She managed to catch the plot though!
In my opinion, Hamilton is a great watch because of how fast-paced everything is – you can’t look away for one moment lest you miss something. It’s a pretty fun way to condense the history of one man into 2 hours 30 minutes(?)
The Plot
Something that’s fun about having a brother who enjoys theatre is the fact that you can talk about the musical! I think the conversation started off with a fun fact about Aaron Burr, which is that he wasn’t really remorseful for shooting Hamilton in reality. For me, I interpreted the line in the opening song (“Alexander Hamilton”) about Burr being the “damn fool who shot him [Hamilton]” as not Burr saying it himself, but history lamenting the loss of Hamilton and his story.
If I were to look at Hamilton critically, I would say that the musical gives Hamilton too much credit for his achievements, especially the stuff pertaining to slavery. I am someone who believes in racial blindness in casting, but when the clueless individual doesn’t think too much about the fact that the musical is a historical one, it is easy to forget that the dynamic characters in the musical were mostly white men who owned slaves.
Yet, musicals like Hamilton make history more accessible to those who may find it boring. It can even spark an interest in history and how these stories get told. I think the musical score is intriguing and while some people may hate Lin Manuel Miranda, I personally think that he’s only getting this much hate because there are better singers (which can be said about a lot of people) and since it feels like he is everywhere (think Encanto, Moana). His score is, however, unique and something that wasn’t seen in the musical world before the birth of Hamilton.
It's always important to be discerning when literature interweaves history into its story, but that’s also its beauty: the idea that numerous perspectives exist, the idea of who lives, who dies, and who tells your story (HAHA) – the fact that the nearly forgotten legacy of one founding father rose in prominence in 2015 thanks to a musical based on a biography.
Thank you for reading!
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About the Author
Rachel resides in Singapore and is currently in her second year of university. She’s majoring in Literature and minoring in Creative Writing. When she’s not worrying about her assignments, she likes to read and do photography.
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