OUR Hamilton Reviews — Page 4

Daveed Diggs is an automatic scene-stealer. Every time he speaks, I forget everyone else onstage. He's so funny and sharp. Not sure anyone could ever replace his impeccable timing and humor.

Jesus.  This show has won enough awards.  This exact show with these exact performances have already won awards.    Four years ago.  No need to give them Oscars too.  It's not a movie.

Just finished an hour ago and still processing. I don't know what else there is to say about this masterpiece. There was a batch of "good" shows on B'way before the shutdown, and then there is Hamilton, in a league of its own. It really is that good, even on screen. I saw the original Broadway cast in February 2016 with every main principal, for which I am eternally grateful to have seen (there were 3 swings), and the film was just about as good. Expediting the release date and sending it straight to streaming did not do any harm whatsoever. Great job to all- cast, crew, camera people, and everyone at Disney!!!!!

Some random thoughts I had:

I held back my tears the whole time. Thank God.

The two muted f-bombs didn't bother me at all. 

Not a weak link in the cast yet again, but Lin-Manuel's singing voice is just "meh." He did give it everything he had on the acting side though. Seemed to convey much more emotion in the performances leading to up to his departure (among others).

Speaking of LMM, I thought I heard him change a line slightly during the first cabinet meeting: "Reticent, there isn't a plan he hasn't jettisoned." On the OBCR, it's "... he doesn't jettison." Anyone else hear this, or is it just me?

Leslie Odom Jr. is the star of the show, as if it weren't obvious beforehand. I didn't hear him flub any of "The Room Where It Happens," unlike one user suggested.

I won't be surprised if Jonathan Groff's spit becomes a viral meme in the days and weeks to come. Also, what's with the constant closeups on George III? We seemed to lack some more for the other characters.

Chris Jackson WENT OFF the final minute of "One Last Time" as he started crying. I don't ever remember him sounding like that live. Leslie had some nice little riffs throughout as well.

The three Schuylers keep breaking my heart every damn time. In these times, it's especially easy to relate to all the pain Eliza goes through. Marvelous portrayal by Pippa Soo- it's too bad her subsequent projects never blossomed.

Can we talk about the freakin' ENSEMBLE for a second? They're doing tough, nonstop Andy Blankenbuehler choreo for almost the whole show, yet musically, they still sound as spectacular as they are on the cast recording. No other ensemble on Broadway as of March sounds like them every night. It's simply amazing that Ariana DeBose and Ephraim Sykes went from ensemblists to Tony nominees in just 3-4 years, respectively. Hope Easterbrook and Elizabeth Judd were solid as well, and filled in Emmy and Betsy's shoes beautifully.

The orchestra sounds gorgeous as per usual (Lackety Lac Lac Lac!!!). I have many favorite underscoring moments throughout the show, but there was one not featured on the cast album that sounded simplistic yet beautiful. It's when Eliza sobs over Philip's dead body and the violins come in with the "someday, someday" motif from "Dear Theodosia," transitioning into "It's Quiet Uptown."

Bottom line is, chances are Disney+ will remove this title whenever B'way begins its gradual reopening process, because Hamilton will most certainly survive and they have to keep making people buy tickets. If you keep waiting for it, you will probably throw away your shot. Hamilton is not to be missed. 

 

 

 

 

 

Updated On: 7/4/20 at 02:12 AM

I didn't expect to get such an emotional reaction to this. I was a wreck throughout act 2. My favorite detail I noticed was throughout the beginning of "The Election of 1800", Madison keeps wiping away tears for about a minute. I do hope this get a theatrical and home media release at some point. Even though I saw this on a 4K tv, I really want to see this on a massive theater screen just to soak in all the details.

A few thoughts.  I saw most of the original cast in March 2016.  Chris Jackson and Renee Elise Goldsberry were both out.  I honestly forgot Renee was because Alysha Deslorieux was fabulous in the role.  Austin Smith as George Washington was a miss for me.  I am very happy I got to finally see Chris Jackson.  He is George Washington!  Seth Stewart was also out and I've been a fan of his since Heights.  Enjoyed seeing his dancing in this, finally!  Leslie Odom Jr.'s performance live for me was phenomenal.  The film did not capture this for me.  He was great, but something was missing for me as compared to seeing it live in the theatre.  Overall, loved it and will be watching again tonight with friends on a projector!

Also, who the f is The Spool? This has raves everywhere except from The Spool, a review that focuses on what's happening in the world today and how Hamilton fails to connect with that. What.the.actual.f---.

Jarethan said:

BFD. Are you always that much of an a**-hole? 

Is this a rhetorical question? I sure do hope you didn't lose sleep waiting for an answer. Happy 4th!! 

























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Philippa Soo, Leslie Odom, Christopher Jackson, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Daveed Diggs. Each one giving a magnificent performance, worthy of awards. And the staging and design are as award-worthy as the writing and the performances. And for all that to happen with such a sophisticated and nuanced telling of history--and for us to be able to see it as this precise moment in history--it's really a miraculous creation.

Sounds like the timing of this filmed production could not have been better given the pandemic, the election, Black Lives Matter and the closures of Broadway theatres.

Agree about Odom. The first time I saw this I was in the front row and the last minute or so of Room Where it Happens was overwhelming in person. The emotion from Odom and the reaction from the crowd was palpable and there was a long, long ovation that he finally had to cut off. He is great in this filmed version as well, but I agree there is something a little missing. Maybe he played it different with the cameras because I think there are a few moments from him in the D+ version (his face in Non Stop and the close ups in The World Was Wide Enough for example) that you wouldn't pick up in the theater."

He was the very last hold out for this show, and it was a very last minute decision for him to be in this, and in my opinion his performance shows a lack of energy, unlike when I saw him do it live on stage at the Public and on Broadway. 

Sutton Ross said: "Agree about Odom. The first time I saw this I was in the front row and the last minute or so of Room Where it Happens was overwhelming in person. The emotion from Odom and the reaction from the crowd was palpable and there was a long, long ovation that he finally had to cut off. He is great in this filmed version as well, but I agree there is something a little missing. Maybe he played it different with the cameras because I think there are a few moments from him in the D+ version (his face in Non Stop and the close ups in The World Was Wide Enough for example) that you wouldn't pick up in the theater."

He was the very last hold out for this show, and it was a very last minute decision for him to be in this, and in my opinion his performance shows a lack of energy, unlike when I saw him do it live on stage at the Public and on Broadway."

I remember hearing at the time he was the last holdout. I wondered if he finally agreed because they told him that they would simply shoot around him, and film his characters' scenes in an empty theater with someone else. I don't know how realistic that would be, though. I know they did it with Rachelle Ann Go in Miss Saigon (she'd already left the show, and filmed her scenes in an empty theater, but her character is only in a few scenes). Logistics aside, I know the UK's unions are weaker, so that may not have been a realistic approach here, but I remember thinking that at the time.