It’s 1776, and we find ourselves in the room where it happens.
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s ‘Hamilton’ returns to Sydney, bringing to life one of the greatest musical feats of the last century. Boasting more than 25,000 sung-through words, ‘Hamilton’ has been captivating stages all around the world since its Broadway debut in 2015.
Miranda’s skill with a quill is undeniable as he takes what could be a tedious historical slog and instead gives us a compelling story full of ambition and determination, love and death, triumphant battles, and moments of profound stillness. It’s not just a classical musical giving a standard retelling of the story, Australian audience members are excusably detached from the American historical context of the show, allowing us to just enjoy this ‘factual’ retelling of Hamilton's rise and fall, losing himself, his family, and ultimately his life. Whatever the truth may be, we’re captivated by the modernity of rap battles, quick wit, and extraordinary vocal performances by everyone involved.
Jason Arrow effortlessly takes the reins as Hamilton and races ahead of Miranda’s Disney+ performance. Having been performing in the role now since its Sydney opening in 2020, Arrow is steady and comfortable, allowing him to play, have fun, and relish the role. Arrow’s voice is a perfect tonal match to the original performance but pushes beyond expectations.
'Hamilton' original Australian cast. Image © Daniel Boud
Vidya Makan shines in her debut as Eliza; her voice is stunning and compelling. Her performance of ‘Burn’ brought new life to the song with her palpable anger and hurt. I wish I could have pressed rewind and watched it again.
The show would be nothing without the ensemble, who were captivating and distracting for all the right reasons. They set the tone, brought battlefields and hurricanes to life, and created a world just for us to join. A versatile mix of skilled dancers and singers, particular standouts were Lachlan Dearing and Wesley Ryan, who repeatedly stole the show from an otherwise incomparable principal cast.
I will admit, I may be writing this review from a place of slight bias, as it is already one of my favourite musicals, but nothing lives outside of the cast and crew being able to pull it off, and the Australian production does just that and then some. This is your final chance to see the show on Australian shores before it closes for good, so don’t throw away your shot.
Words: Casey Elder
