We don't have an official thread for Hamilton itself in any format, and with Hamilton dropping about 24 hours ago it's about time.

As someone who saw the performance in May 2017 and found it to be one of the most moving, powerful and illuminating experiences with art ever (and one of the most necessary), I'm excited to hear everybody's takes on the recording of the live performance.

Personally, I found it to be a fabulously executed recording that conjures the show's lightning strike energy even from the comfort of your couch. Yet, I was disappointed at the propensity for close-up, panning and over-editing that renders the stage's complex blocking––especially that concerning the rotating center of the stage––impossible to follow and experience. Still, I don't want to underplay the achievement. It really, really works.


-Vader

Looking forward to watching it for the first time in the coming days.

LMM is a genius and his creation here is one of the greatest American pieces of art, but as an actor he's completely upstaged by Leslie Odom Jr. and Daveed Diggs.

Master Virgo wrote: ↑

July 4th, 2020, 2:54 pm

LMM is a genius and his creation here is one of the greatest American pieces of art, but as an actor he's completely upstaged by Leslie Odom Jr. and Daveed Diggs.

This is the key to the whole play, imo. The person Hamilton, in fiction and to an extent in life, was an immigrant with a chip on his shoulder who overcompensated for his poor oratory skills. LMM writes songs with notes he knows will make his voice crack, raps with rhymes he won't perfect, and turns of physicality that won't seem entirely natural.

His performance is one of humility while playing a man guilty of hubris. This is why other actors playing Hamilton haven't been as succesful even if they hit the notes LMM can't; they miss the point.

By that same token, LMM leans into the strengths of his cast to, yes, threaten to actually upstage him. It's used as a part of the tension between Jefferson + Burr and Hamilton, for instance.


-Vader

So glad this lived up to the hype yo. I understand Vader's gripes with the recording and editing (I felt like I was missing things), but you really can't replicate in-theatre experience.

Stand out performances for me was the Schuyler Sisters, and Christopher Jackson as George Washington - he is amazing.

I will say the mad amount of IT’S A FILM effort put into both this recording (I mean come on those opening and end credits) and the marketing around it all is eeeeehhhh (Come on there’s already Oscar bloggers talking up nominations lmao)

But otherwise so good that this is out there, was an utter pleasure seeing it with the original cast. Now I see why people get so attached to it. When I saw this live it was more about experiencing the atmosphere and the songs and the story - just the sheer momentum and energy of it - but here you really get to appreciate the performances.

It is the best movie of 2020 so far. Helpless is still stuck in my head.

Vader182 wrote: ↑

July 4th, 2020, 3:12 pm

Master Virgo wrote: ↑

July 4th, 2020, 2:54 pm

LMM is a genius and his creation here is one of the greatest American pieces of art, but as an actor he's completely upstaged by Leslie Odom Jr. and Daveed Diggs.

This is the key to the whole play, imo. The person Hamilton, in fiction and to an extent in life, was an immigrant with a chip on his shoulder who overcompensated for his poor oratory skills. LMM writes songs with notes he knows will make his voice crack, raps with rhymes he won't perfect, and turns of physicality that won't seem entirely natural.

His performance is one of humility while playing a man guilty of hubris. This is why other actors playing Hamilton haven't been as succesful even if they hit the notes LMM can't; they miss the point.

By that same token, LMM leans into the strengths of his cast to, yes, threaten to actually upstage him. It's used as a part of the tension between Jefferson + Burr and Hamilton, for instance.


-Vader

Hmm, yeah come to think of it, this is quite correct.

Jonathan Groff chews the scenery, regurgitates it, and proceeds to chew on it some more.

I'm all for it.

the_red_ninja wrote: ↑

July 4th, 2020, 4:56 pm

So glad this lived up to the hype yo. I understand Vader's gripes with the recording and editing (I felt like I was missing things), but you really can't replicate in-theatre experience.

Stand out performances for me was the Schuyler Sisters, and Christopher Jackson as George Washington - he is amazing.

This guy was my favorite. He was really good.