Hamilton

How do you review a stage production that is filmed? It's not a movie, not in the strictest sense, but it's more than a stage production. Stuff like cinematography and direction go out the window, and being a hip-hop opera of sorts means acting can't be compared to ordinary movies. So, we're just gonna have to muddle through this. I'm no expert on stage productions -- the only plays I've ever been to were done by schools -- so I have no metric for comparison. That being said, the minimalist stage design, and minimal costume changes is interesting, and somehow, they pull it off without being a distraction. The life story of Alexander Hamilton, first treasurer of the United States, is told entirely through song, so sets are irrelevant. The only conceit as far as the stage design goes is the main floor, which is a few concentric circles, and can rotate in different directions and speeds independent of one another. There's a cool sequence where Hamilton talks about being in the eye of the hurricane, and he stands on the central plate, perfectly still, while the other actors hold up furniture and take chaotic poses as the floor rotates them. It's a simple visual, but it's a neat effect. Hamilton is also a bit of a cad, lusting for his wife's sister, and having an affair with a married woman, and the rotating floor underscores this multiple times by having the women orbit around him. The story is well-told, beginning from Hamilton's arrival in the United States as an orphan immigrant, through his participation in the Revolutionary War, his tumultuous tenure as Secretary of the Treasury, and his rivalries with Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. Hamilton is the protagonist, but definitely not the hero; he cheats on his wife, his naked, unquenchable ambition drives him to always chase more no matter the cost, and his need to verbally litigate every subject to death earns him a bad reputation, especially when he's good friends with George Washington, who often protects Hamilton. And, because the music and song is primarily hip-hop, the show has a metric ton of energy. It's hard not to be sucked in when you have music that propels forward like a speeding car, and performers throwing all their energy into the performance. Keep your eye on Thomas Jefferson, who is charismatic to the point of being a cult of personality. But there are flaws. You can't keep up manic energy for two hours-forty minutes; you need ups and downs, not only for the sake of the performers, but so the audience doesn't get burned out. Unfortunately, when Hamilton slows down, it almost comes to a dead stop. "Satisfied", where Hamilton's sister-in-law sings about wanting Hamilton despite his marrying her sister and having to be satisfied by being around him, saps the life out of the first act at precisely a point where it doesn't need to. "Burn", Hamilton's wife Eliza's "screw you" song (after she finds out he cheated on her) is so energy-crushing, you'll think you hit the pause button. "Dear Theodosia" again stops the production in its tracks, and worse, serves almost no purpose, as it introduces a character you never see and has almost no effect on the plot, other than to show, once again, Aaron Burr's penchant for indecisiveness and fence-sitting. Again, I know the production couldn't be 100% bangers from front to back, but the way it shifts from up-tempo numbers to mournful, gear-grindingly slow numbers (sung in the most cliche Broadway style that stands in stark contrast to the rest of the music) is jarring. Also ... full disclosure, I'm not the biggest hip-hop fan, but I've got more than a few rap albums in my iTunes. I grew up in the 90's, listening to everything from 2Pac to Will Smith to Bone Thugz. Rapping is not just saying rhyming things set to a meter. There are skills involved that go beyond the words and the rhymes. There's a reason Ice Cube and Dr. Dre had successful careers beyond NWA and MC Ren didn't; the delivery, the tone of voice, the passion, it's all part of it. You either have it or you don't; it can't be taught. And almost none of these performers have it. They're not terrible, but they are clearly and unmistakably people performing spoken rhymes to a beat, not rapping. The performers who play James Madison and Philip Hamilton can rap; Thomas Jefferson has the charisma to paper over the cracks. But everybody else? These are actors and singers having to rap. For the average person who isn't into hip-hop, you may not notice a difference. But I am, and I do. It didn't destroy my enjoyment, but I was aware I was watching a performance by people doing something they don't naturally do. I'm glad I saw it. I can see why it's popular. And for a hip-hop opera (hip-hopera?), it's a great idea. It won't be for everybody, but if you're at all curious, it's worth the investment. Just don't expect it to change the world like its most ardent fans seem to think it does. It's good, but it's hardly revolutionary (pun intended).