‘Hamilton’ lives up to the hype in new film version

Posted on July 10, 2020

By MARK VIOLA

I’m a fan of musicals and stage theatre in general, and I’ve seen quite a few shows over the years in Tallahassee, home to some great local theatre companies — not to mention (as much as it pains me) Florida State University’s excellent School of Theatre.

But you don’t have to be a theatre fan to have heard of “Hamilton,” the musical sensation that made its Broadway debut in 2015.

While I have not had the opportunity to see the show live, thanks to the new filmed version available on Disney+, I have seen the show. And, wow, it is good. I’m not sure what I was expecting, considering the years of hype I’ve endured from people far and wide, but it’s a really good musical.

This not an adaptation, but instead a production of the stage musical filmed live at the Richard Rodgers Theater on Broadway in June 2016. Aside from the occasional close-ups, it doesn’t break the illusion of a live production, except for the fact that (thanks to the cameras) you’ve got better seats than most of us could afford at a showing of “Hamilton.”

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