Norfolk

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History has its eyes on you… and last night, it had its eyes firmly fixed on Norwich Theatre Royal. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton &#8211; a revolutionary blend of hip-hop, history, and heartbreak &#8211; has (finally) landed in Norfolk for a six-week run as part of its UK tour, and reader, it&#8217;s kind of a big deal. 



For those of you who’ve been living under a rock for the last decade (or haven’t bagged a West End ticket, or missed the Disney+ release during lockdown), Hamilton tells the lesser-known story of American Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton. An immigrant from the West Indies who rose from nothing to become George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War, penned the majority of The Federalist Papers, and helped lay the foundations of the modern United States.



His is a tale of aspiration, legacy, politics, power, and personal downfall &#8211; told through a genre-bending mash-up of rap, hip-hop, R&amp;B, soul, and classic musical theatre &#8211; somehow making 18th-century politics feel like a cross between The West Wing and 8 Mile. It is, in a word, bra-bra-brilliant!



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The show opens with a bang &#8211; literally. From the first explosive beat of the now-iconic opening number Alexander Hamilton, you’re dropped straight into the chaos and hunger of Hamilton’s world: poor, orphaned, and burning with ambition. The ensemble delivers the prologue with breathless precision, as key players &#8211; Aaron Burr, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington &#8211; step forward to stake their claim in the story, laying the groundwork for two hours and 45 minutes of lyrical fireworks and emotional gut-punches.



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The entire cast were fire, matching the velocity and emotion of the material &#8211; and then some. Marley Fenton is magnetic as Hamilton, spitting rhymes at machine-gun pace while charting the character’s rise and fall with real emotional heft.



But it was Billy Nevers’ Aaron Burr who stole the show for me. The production’s quiet anchor, he’s watchful, conflicted, and impossible to ignore &#8211; especially when belting out show-stoppers&nbsp;Wait for It&nbsp;and&nbsp;The Room Where It Happens.



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Casey Al-Shaqsy brings warmth and quiet strength to the role of Eliza, Hamilton’s long-suffering wife, with the song Burn delivered so simply and devastatingly it had the audience holding their breath. I’m talking serious goosebumps.



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And providing some light-hearted relief, shout-outs go to Shak Mancel James for his turn in the second half as a young Philip Hamilton &#8211; charming, cheeky, and heartbreakingly earnest &#8211; and to Louis Maskell, whose King George was a scene-stealing masterclass in campy, comic timing. Every royal strut, side-eye, and sneer was lapped up by the crowd.



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Visually, the show is surprisingly stripped back &#8211; no flashy set changes or projections here &#8211; but that’s entirely the point. The clever rotating stage (yep, the famous turntable) and seamless lighting shifts do all the heavy lifting, keeping the action flowing like a mixtape on fast-forward. The choreography is razor-sharp and relentless, with the ensemble in constant motion &#8211; as much a part of the storytelling as the music itself.



The music, of course, is the show’s beating heart &#8211; a slick blend of hip-hop, R&amp;B, jazz, and traditional show tunes. Every note lands, and the small live band brings real weight to the performance. The sound mix at Norwich Theatre Royal was impressively clear &#8211; even the fastest-paced lyrics (including Ashley J. Daniels’ exquisite rapping with a French accent, no less, as the Marquis de Lafayette) came through crisp and clean. Good news if you’re up in the gods: you won’t miss a beat.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



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Look I&#8217;ll level with you, I am a full blown musical theatre nerd, and I have seen Hamilton before. I&#8217;d happily watch it every night it&#8217;s in town. 



If the thought of nearly three hours worth of non-stop beats and historical rapping puts you off, don&#8217;t be. Hamilton is so cleverly constructed and eloquently delivered, even the most musical theatre-shy among you (my plus one included) will be swept up before you know it &#8211; and agreeing that all political conflicts should be hashed out in a rap battle. In short: don&#8217;t throw away your shot. See it immediately. 



Good for: Anyone who has somehow dodged Hamilton until now &#8211; or die-hard fans looking for another hit, this is your moment. A must-see for lovers of smart storytelling, sharp choreography and a seriously talented cast,



Not for: Anyone allergic to musicals, history, or lyrics delivered at 120 words per minute &#8211; but honestly even they might be converted by the interval. 



<a href="https://norwichtheatre.org/whats-on/Hamilton" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hamilton</a> is showing now at Norwich Theatre Royal until Sat 25 Oct, nab tickets <a href="https://norwichtheatre.org/whats-on/Hamilton" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



Reviewed by Claire Hool

Don’t throw away your shot! Hamilton hits Norwich Theatre Royal

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