Miranda in “Hamilton”
The film of the 2015 musical Hamilton has received near universal acclaim. Edited from three performances of the original Broadway cast in June 2016, Disney+ advanced the film’s release from October 15, 2021, to July 3, 2020. (watch here) The creative team includes Lin-Manuel Miranda (book, lyrics, music), Thomas Kail (direction), Andy Blankenbuehler (choreography), Alex Lacamoire (orchestrations), Declan Quinn (cinematography), Jonah Moran (editing), David Korins (sets), Paul Tazewell (costumes), Howell Binkley (lights), and Nevin Steinberg (sound). The cast includes Daveed Diggs (Lafayette; Jefferson), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Angelica), Jonathan Groff (George III), Christopher Jackson (Washington), Jasmine Cephas Jones (Peggy; Maria), Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton), Leslie Odom Jr. (Burr), Okieriete Onaodowan (Mulligan; Madison), Anthony Ramos (Laurens; Philip), and Phillipa Soo (Eliza), with Carleigh Bettiol, Ariana DeBose, Hope Easterbrook, Sydney James Harcourt, Sasha Hutchings, Thayne Jasperson, Elizabeth Judd, Jon Rua, Austin Smith, Seth Stewart, and Ephraim Sykes.
Mark Kennedy (AP): “The revolution is finally being televised, thank goodness. … The timing seems ideal. Or, given all that’s shook this nation in the past few months, could it not be quite revolutionary enough? … Kail’s camera captures actors’ intimate faces during key moments in a way impossible for theater-goers and incorporates audience reaction to create an electric filmed version.”
Chris Jones (Chicago Tribune): “Director Thomas Kail’s filmed version of the blockbuster musical Hamilton … surely is the greatest translation, democratization and preservation of any Broadway show, ever. … I don’t think I’ve ever simultaneously admired something so much and found it so revealing of loss, both personal and within our once-shared belief in the unity and the potential for renewal of my adopted nation.”
Brian Lowry (CNN): “Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical beautifully survives the transfer process. … Granted, nothing can fully replicate the unique qualities of a live theatrical experience. But if anyone doubts that Hamilton can still deliver a Broadway wallop to the comfort of one’s couch, well, just you wait.”
Arifa Akbar (Guardian): “It keeps all the power of a live performance while simultaneously adding a filmic pizzazz including some breathtaking aerial shots. There is extraordinary direction – again under Kail – so that the cameras capture the mise en scène of theatre without losing any of the closeup intimacy of film.”
A.O. Scott (New York Times): “Hamilton is a brilliant feat of historical imagination. … One of the marvels of the show is the way it brings long-dead, legend-shrouded people to vivid and sympathetic life. The close-ups and camera movements in this version enhance the charisma of the performers, adding a dimension of intimacy that compensates for the lost electricity of the live theatrical experience.”
Linda Holmes (NPR): “There is new insight and new excitement here for people who already know that they love this show, and even for those who have stayed away from the album. Hamilton is a piece whose status as art is constantly threatened by its status as a phenomenon and a status symbol; the cultural exhaustion has been, at times, very real and beyond understandable. This is a good reset, and a good chance to put a fresh eye on it.”
Stephanie Zacharek (Time): “The effect is that of watching the show not from the best seat in the house, but from the best ten seats. Best of all is the exultation of watching so many marvelous performers, ablaze with the elation of making something truly new. The history of this cracked mess of a country, bold and dramatic but also streaked with blood, is for all of us to remember, but also to build upon.”
Brian Truitt (USA Today): “Is it worth all the hype? Oh, yes. And then some. … Hamilton is an amazing look at our country, how immigrants get the job done, where we’ve been and where we might be going.”
Peter Debruge (Variety): “A modern take on our collective, complicated history, Hamilton finds fresh relevance in the Black Lives Matter protests and this divided political moment. It’s that rare work of art that celebrates diversity while urging us to put aside superficial differences, using Hamilton’s tragic outcome as a kind of warning, and his accomplishments as inspiration.”