Creative license. How much is too much? — Page 3
Posted: 1/16/16 at 3:12pm
"Most people don't know much about Alexander Hamilton, so it's easy to treat the show as a kind of expanded School House Rock, particularly since it's based, notably, on an extremely in-depth and well-received biography (which itself has been accused of hagiography). Everyone wants to be an expert."
Learning specifics like that they had brothers and that Anjelica was already married at the time does change my perspective on Hamilton. I don't suddenly think it's a terrible show but I think as you said, there's an idea that this musical is illuminating stories of historical figures that aren't often told so these kinds of inaccuracies for the sake of drama are a little deflating. Satisfied is still a great song but the impact is lessened.
Posted: 1/16/16 at 4:27pm
Why is the impact lessened? It's not and never purports to be documentary.
Posted: 1/16/16 at 11:01pm
It's more about the experience of watching the show, which seems to be saying "hey we're gonna tell the truth about this guy whose story never gets told". Coming to understand Hamilton as he's portrayed in the show is an extreme pleasure, and while it doesn't explicitly say it is or isn't a documentary, it's still jarring to come out of it in a euphoric daze and then find out about a slew of grubby details that were elided or inverted or gussied up. What that really says, I think, is that the show is awesome and powerful and excellent in its emotional impact, which is why discovery of the actual factual truths can feel a little bit like a betrayal.
Posted: 1/16/16 at 11:05pm
and while it doesn't explicitly say it is or isn't a documentary
This is a joke, right? Somewhere on or in this musical it has to SPECIFICALLY SAY it isn't a documentary for our discerning BWW theatergoers to not end up crushed in disappointment? I would have assumed that people who spend time on this board just KNEW this.
Updated On: 1/16/16 at 11:05 PM
Posted: 1/16/16 at 11:16pm
Consider reading the rest of my post.
wait wait let me try
FindingNamo said: "crushed ass people"
Language!!
Updated On: 1/16/16 at 11:16 PM
Posted: 1/16/16 at 11:29pm
What?
Posted: 1/16/16 at 11:37pm
I'm saying the rest of my post discusses why, even if it is illogical and we all know the show takes creative license, a viewer can have a negative reaction to finding out what changes were made, but you ignored that and instead cut a choice snippet out that makes me look like a moron when removed of context.
Posted: 1/17/16 at 12:08am
You're right and it's a pretty choice snippet. I didn't make up the words, as you did for me.
Your response to my response certainly reinforces the vision of the stable critical thinker you created in the post I responded to.
Posted: 1/17/16 at 12:11am
This is really terrific, I feel like we're really breaking new ground in modern discourse.
Posted: 1/17/16 at 12:16am
No, I don't think we are. Not if one of us thinks Broadway musicals need to explicitly state they are not documentaries.
Posted: 1/17/16 at 12:20am
You know the real Fraulein Maria was a snatch, right?
Posted: 1/17/16 at 12:24am
And Georges Seurat didn't have a daughter.
Posted: 1/17/16 at 12:27am
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?
Posted: 1/17/16 at 12:30am
Isn't that a NatGeo documentary about penguins?
Posted: 1/17/16 at 12:55am
Right! Where the two male penguins carry an egg and jump over a shark.
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