Critiques of Hamilton - the Musical

Found this tucked away in my notes app...

I feel compelled to write a little something about Hamilton:

Everyone was a theater fanatic three years ago, teachers would play Hamilton on big classroom screens and kids would talk about musicals they love. It was the best [and worst of times (for my unrelated mental health issues lol)].

I vividly remember taking 40 minute subway rides on weekends to the theater plaza in the French concession of Shanghai to watch live performances of Mozart L’opéra rock, wicked, and other top tier musicals. My mom thought it’s good for my personal growth, so that really helped fund my obsession.

Despite all of this, I never had the chance to watch Hamilton in theater. I even had a period when I unironically hated Hamilton for its cheesiness, underrepresentation, misrepresentation, and lowkey bad lyrics. While some of that detestation still remain now (seriously, how many times do you HAVE to rhyme burr with sir), I definitely see why people love this stuff. Amazing stage design, incredibly charismatic & funny characters, skillful actors, catchy tunes, historical story, and most importantly that one cute Asian guy.

All weird compliments aside, there were genuinely moments when I found myself on the verge of tears (and moments when I actually cried). I don’t know whether it was me empathizing with the characters or my past theater kid memories catching up to me. Funny enough, I went to the show because I thought I needed that so-called “American experience,” I left the show with so much more than I asked for. You know that feeling you get when you smell a familiar scent, visit a familiar place, or, in simpler terms, rediscover that one game file you had when you were 5? That kinda sums up what I felt like today.

Anyways I guess what I’m trying to say is that the show was pretty okay I guess.