Hamilton at Home review

Sitting down you make yourself comfortable, after a busy day at work you’re looking forward to switching off for the next few hours.

You’ve got a glass of your favourite wine, a few nibbles to keep you going and you feel satisfied with your view.

The lights are dimmed and the music begins. Your excitement grows… only to be interrupted with your dog pawing at your knees almost spilling your wine whilst she begs for attention.

This may not be the usual theatre experience but now you’re able to bring to the comfort of your own sofa, a sense of the theatre you’ve missed.

Covid has unfortunately and temporally demolished our plans to spend an evening at the theatre but yet, here we are experiencing something we probably wouldn’t have ever thought about experiencing at home before.

Online theatre.

Personally, I absolutely love the theatre. It’s a place in which I become completely absorbed. Whether it’s a known musical, a Roald Dahl tale or even a ballet performance, going to the theatre makes me feel euphoric, invigorated and calm all at the same time. These are feelings that being in the theatre can only bring.

So I thought….

Sitting down in my living room I feel excited for the Hamilton performance to begin.

Introductions begin with an announcement from the ‘King’ telling the audience to turn their phones off, take their seats, the show is about to begin! All very familiar starts. The lights from the stage begin to brighten, the cast arrives dressed in long coats and fluffy collars, the show begins.

Music surrounds the room and I am instantly transported into the theatre.

Characters fill the stage, full of costume and makeup, bursting into song. There’s so much to see I don’t know where to look, my eyes darting from one character to another, becoming mesmerised in the spectacle of the show. Quickly feeling as if I’m sitting in the front row with a performance just for me.

But this isn’t your usual musical. Filled with history but with a modern twist, I become engrossed from the very first song, quickly becoming the best history lesson I’ve ever had.

Set in 1776, New York, Hamilton tells the story of Alexander Hamilton, one of American’s Founding fathers, and his rise out of poverty during the American War of Independence against the British, where he found himself as George Washington’s right-hand man.

Alexander Hamilton played by Lin-Manuel Miranda (who wrote the music, lyrics and books for Hamilton), explodes with emotion through each scene along with his effortless ability to rap. It’s impressive to see such a talented man bring his character to life by himself on stage.

The King’s arrival on stage is one of simplicity yet a powerful moment. Standing centre stage, beginning a humorous yet serious song of what he’ll do as King. And with the King being played by Jonathan Groff (the voice of Kristoff from Frozen) he displays a recognisable voice that just works.

Across the production, you’ll also see familiar faces, including Anthony Ramos who has been in ‘A star is Born’. Anthony plays John Laurens and later on in the show, Hamilton’s son, Philip, in an impressive two-character role; but this means he also gets to tragically die twice during the show.

Hamilton’s songs are a combination of historical tale mixed with modern day freestyle rap. Becoming instantly immersed with each word sung, it’s an unexpected twist that brings the story to life. Each song transitions smoothly from one to another, becoming a continuing and clever source of acting. Throughout the show the cast is singing and rapping with no words spoken.

It can be a little tricky to keep up with exactly what they’re saying but with the catchy songs and mix of rapping, you easily find yourself bopping along.

There’s also a lot of humour in the show and I find myself laughing along on my sofa. And by the end I can assure you, you’ll also be singing ‘Alexander Hamilton’!

If you’re not a fan of a musically sung performance, this may not be the show for you. However, you can’t fault the creative spin of each song with the beautiful flow they bring throughout.

With the sound that comes through my TV it may not be the live music I’m used to hearing whilst sitting in a theatre. However, if you have the capability to play your audio through a surround system (or better yet, Dolby Atmos), Hamilton is designed to create depth so you feel like you’re really there.

Sounds fill my living room in all different directions really immersing me in the show, and for a moment, I really forget I’m sat at home in my pyjamas.

The crowd sounds as if they’re applauding behind me, the orchestra in front and the cast’s voices loud and clear. Plus it’s certainly refreshing not having someone coughing a few aisles down from your seat.

Watching a stage performance at home was certainly a new experience but one that I would happily indulge myself in again.

In many ways it’s a completely different experience from what we’re used to when physically visiting the theatre, but in many ways it is similar. Even giving you an intermission halfway through the show.

Although being an impressive 2 hours and 40 minutes long I would recommend pausing as many times as you need for comfort and refreshment breaks. This is a definite bonus for watching a theatre production at home.

And I can certainly see why Hamilton became one of the most loved theatre productions on broadway. Songs, history, dances, scenery and overall display of absolute creativity. I couldn’t not love Hamilton.

This won’t take my love away for the theatre itself but it’s certainly an escapism I think everyone should experience at least once. It guarantees to lift your mood and Hamilton brings everything you could possibly want from a theatre production from the comfort of your home.

Hamilton is currently available to watch on Disney Plus, a subscription service. I would certainly recommend watching it for an evening’s entertainment.

Banner photo credit: Ken Lund