Hamilton: the Musical
So I finally listened to this all the way through. DEAR GOD IN HEAVEN ABOVE.
asfka;sjflasjfaslkfjasldkfjashfahfshjkgh;hdk
There are so many brilliant nuances to this that I have internal flappy hands.
From King George channelling an abusive vibe, to the musical themes, to Angelica understanding her responsibilities and desires and knowing where her duty lies, to Eliza erasing herself from the narrative, to Burr's frustration with being bested again and again and again, to, oh, ALL OF IT.
The thing about this - as an Australian who hadn't the foggiest idea about who the hell Alexander Hamilton is or was and couldn't really care less - is that the musical is no more about American politics than Hamlet is about Danish royalty.
It's about humanity - about people - about individuals, personalities, their flaws, the pressures that comes upon them, their strengths and how they use those - or don't. It's about everyone having their own story, their own reasons for what they do. And it's about life and death and all the messy stuff that happens in between.
Which is why it will do well translated to other countries in the same way that Les Mis will - because what audiences understand is not the circumstances of history, but the circumstances of humanity.
And yes, it will be better if the cast remains primarily non-white in the lead roles in places like Australia and the UK. Not because of novelty, but because this story is about people rather than about dead white people - and I think that needs to be recognised. They've already given musical theatre a kick in that direction with Hamilton, now it would be good if they continued it.
Incidentally, I remember watching Wicked for the first time - in San Francisco with my friend Abby - and Fiyero was black and had the most amazing voice. When it came to Sydney and Fiyero was cast white, I was distinctly nonplussed. I mean, white!Fiyero was great, but somehow it warmed something in me to see this guy as the good hero, loved by two women, who was kind enough to agree to marry one who really wanted to marry him when he was quietly in love with the other who wasn't attainable.
Or maybe it's just that the 'agreeing to marry someone they don't love' is a storyline that's usually handed to the woman and - me being me - the reversal of the trope just appeals. This is me, after all.
Plus: Indian-Pakistani Hobbits. Go look it up if you have questions.
asfka;sjflasjfaslkfjasldkfjashfahfshjkgh;hdk
There are so many brilliant nuances to this that I have internal flappy hands.
From King George channelling an abusive vibe, to the musical themes, to Angelica understanding her responsibilities and desires and knowing where her duty lies, to Eliza erasing herself from the narrative, to Burr's frustration with being bested again and again and again, to, oh, ALL OF IT.
The thing about this - as an Australian who hadn't the foggiest idea about who the hell Alexander Hamilton is or was and couldn't really care less - is that the musical is no more about American politics than Hamlet is about Danish royalty.
It's about humanity - about people - about individuals, personalities, their flaws, the pressures that comes upon them, their strengths and how they use those - or don't. It's about everyone having their own story, their own reasons for what they do. And it's about life and death and all the messy stuff that happens in between.
Which is why it will do well translated to other countries in the same way that Les Mis will - because what audiences understand is not the circumstances of history, but the circumstances of humanity.
And yes, it will be better if the cast remains primarily non-white in the lead roles in places like Australia and the UK. Not because of novelty, but because this story is about people rather than about dead white people - and I think that needs to be recognised. They've already given musical theatre a kick in that direction with Hamilton, now it would be good if they continued it.
Incidentally, I remember watching Wicked for the first time - in San Francisco with my friend Abby - and Fiyero was black and had the most amazing voice. When it came to Sydney and Fiyero was cast white, I was distinctly nonplussed. I mean, white!Fiyero was great, but somehow it warmed something in me to see this guy as the good hero, loved by two women, who was kind enough to agree to marry one who really wanted to marry him when he was quietly in love with the other who wasn't attainable.
Or maybe it's just that the 'agreeing to marry someone they don't love' is a storyline that's usually handed to the woman and - me being me - the reversal of the trope just appeals. This is me, after all.
Plus: Indian-Pakistani Hobbits. Go look it up if you have questions.