I didn't realize how cringy Hamilton was going to be. Race-blind casting for me would mean something like We’re going to do William Shakespeare, and we’re just going to cast the roles with whoever is the best person for the part. I grew up near NYC and was exposed to many. But perhaps the strongest entry yet in the small-but-growing canon of Hamilton criticism was published by historian Lyra Monteiro in the journal the Public Historian. But I was super skeptical of the concept of Hamilton, because it seemed like a really weird choice for somebody who had done something that I thought was so revolutionary in In the Heights, in terms of talking about nonwhite immigrants in New York today. The audio is terrible. The bootstrap ideology is just super strong in how it’s presented; it’s emphasized over and over and over again from literally the very first line of the show, the idea that this man is coming from nothing and he pulls himself up to become this incredibly important person, and that he does it through the power of his mind. Notable Video Game Releases: New and Upcoming, Best of 2018: Film Awards and Nominations, Music title data, credits, and images provided by, Movie title data, credits, and poster art provided by. How do you think that could have been done, in an alternate-reality version of Hamilton? Zero entertainment value equals a zero rating. Before the Revolution, the dude had no money, so of course he didn’t own slaves. © 2021 METACRITIC, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. That’s the case with all important cultural works, right? Just another example of people scared to criticize people with tans. There’s no historical evidence to back that up. And Miranda talks about when he was writing the music that he was casting different hip-hop stars in the roles in his head. It’s still white history. And no amount of casting people of color disguises the fact that they’re erasing people of color from the actual narrative. And it’s a really common part of this Founders Chic practice, actually, particularly among historians who write about the Federalists, who are all anti-Jefferson. The musical styles of the singing are not white styles. Which, it isn’t. And a sweep at the 2016 Tony Awards is all but a foregone conclusion. This was worse than cats. The Report sheds light on many of the concerns Americans in the 21st century have about outsourcing, sweatshops, and the increasing trade deficit, albeit in a … Hamilton is by far one of the best musicals of the generation. Jefferson’s this horrible elite asshole who has slaves, and they totally play that up, in the show, where the most sustained mention of slavery is related to Thomas Jefferson having slaves in Virginia, during one of the rap battles. Lin-Manuel Miranda, center, plays the title role in the hip-hop-influenced musical "Hamilton," at the Public Theater. Hard to understand audio. By Playbill Staff. Its honestly so bad that its funny. The Hamilton Review, WHERE KIDS AND CULTURE COLLIDE is a weekly review of current issues that impact children and the families. They seriously would have actually made this watchable if they just put the whole stage on one camera and left it like that the whole time. Aside from the historical inaccuracies the music. 0 out of 10. It’s a broad new take on historical plays, combining elements of hip-hop with Jazz, R&B, and much more. I think I’m going to hate this, I think it’s going to be shitty. This is a way that writers of popular history (and some academic historians) represent the founders as relatable, cool guys. He was fucking poor! I think enough people today are exposed to the idea that all your faves are problematic, that there’s no such thing as pop culture that isn’t biased and hugely problematic in all kinds of ways. And so, for me, it was like What the fuck! This is laughable! Pros. In interviews, he’s repeatedly said that he wants to be like him, he looks up to him; in one interview, he also compares him to his father, a political power-broker in New York state, and in some ways you could say that Miranda’s family fits into that bootstrap narrative. The camera does hard changes in angle every few seconds. The cast is absolutely terrible, why is everyone black in a musical portraying the founding fathers? What is your argument about the way that slavery is seen or not seen? Just being outside the Hamilton theatre was stressful and annoying. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. This is everybody’s story. 'Hamilton' review: Film musical reveals heart of Broadway on Disney+ "Hamilton" the film is just OK. Which is a total displacement. I grew up near NYC and was exposed to many. So that’s one example of them presenting it as if Oh yeah, he was around slavery, but he hated it, and we don’t actually know that that’s the case. Don’t let me touch slavery! It’s also definitely documented that he used slaves, that he employed slaves. But I actually turned to my husband right before it started and said, “I think I’m going to hate this!” [laughing] Not just because of my historian hat; more because of my public historian hat. So few white people were opposed to slavery, especially white people in the Caribbean. And from the perspective of the theater and working actors, it’s incredible to have a show like this that foregrounds people of color so much, and that it would be such a massive hit that’s going to be touring forever and have regional productions, this is really incredible. One of the first lines says that Hamilton “Got a lot farther by working a lot harder/ By being a lot smarter/ By being a self-starter.” It’s this idea that we have in this country that the American Dream is achievable if you work hard enough, and if you are poor and unsuccessful, it’s because you didn’t try, and therefore you deserve what you have, or rather what you don’t have. As with all humans, Hamilton did both good, helpful things and bad, harmful things. Watching a bunch of dorks try to rap about the signing of the constitution is one of the best laughs I have had in a while. And one of the points Ishmael Reed made that I loved is that for Elizabeth Schuyler to be a Kim Kardashian of her era involved several slaves preparing her to be so gorgeous at that ball where Hamilton met her. So to suggest that it’s race-blind casting is really disingenuous. But we have no idea what Alexander Hamilton’s attitude toward slavery was when he was a boy growing up in the Caribbean. The dance is not white. The entire thing is set to bad rap. But what’s also hilarious from the perspective of a historian is that Washington’s ownership of slaves isn’t mentioned at all. So from the beginning he wasn’t envisioning that this was going to be a white cast. I want to see it again. Published 22 December 2017. It was really common for people who didn’t own slaves outright to rent slaves. A week later, historian Nancy Isenberg, writing for Zócalo Public Square, cautioned audiences not to look to the musical for historical accuracy. The camera does hard changes in angle every few seconds. Hamilton on Disney+ is a somewhat rare animal. Look, we’ve got people of color in the cast. I didn't realize how cringy Hamilton was going to be. Cons. The camera work is even worse!!! Watching a bunch of dorks try to rap about the signing of the constitution is one of the best laughs I have had in a while. Yeah! Even though he was as embedded in slavery, of course, as Jefferson was. The audio is terrible. In Hamilton’s 1791 Report on Manufactures, he spoke of the harms to American industry that came with our reliance on products from overseas. I mean, chances are probably pretty high that he was in favor of it; that was his livelihood. WASHINGTON — After the final performance of "Hamilton" at the Kennedy Center last Sunday, Jim Barnett and Faye Elkins stood on the terrace overlooking the Potomac River. ‘Hamilton’ Review: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Live and in Your Living Room Captured for posterity in 2016, this film of the original Broadway-cast production couldn’t arrive at a better moment NO THANKS! … And then in terms of the female casting, the female character who sings in a more hip-hop and R&B style [Angelica Schuyler, played by Renée Elise Goldsberry] is black, and the female character who sings more Broadway-style ballads [Elizabeth Schuyler, played by Phillipa Soo] is Chinese American, but she definitely reads as white, and I think that is not a coincidence. So it’s not like he was like Oh my God! He worked on a slave ship. JUST WATCHED 'Hamilton' movie trailer released ahead of Disney+ premiere. American history told via rap. Then when we finally went to the theater to see it, of course I was excited because by then it was already a phenomenon. Before it had even arrived on Broadway, the musical had been called one of the greatest artworks of the 21st century. Diplomacy fails to halt Israel-Gaza fighting. I like plays. But as anything that conveys information to people about the past, it’s highly problematic! For a long time, a stray tweet from writer Jay Caspian Kang seemed to be the only hairline crack in the monolith of positive public opinion about Hamilton. Sad because it had potential to be great. Monteiro’s essay is a resounding corrective, questioning the universal understanding of the show as racially progressive, unpacking the unusual casting strategy, and wondering why no historical people of color find a place in Hamilton’s narrative. So you know, it’s possible it never occurred to him that black people, for example, were involved in the Revolution. I think it’s an awesome show. Overhyped PC hot garbage. I saw it the week it opened, actually. It’s impossible to watch Hamilton (or listen to the Original Broadway Cast Recording) and come away thinking Alexander Hamilton was a completely unproblematic good guy. Overhyped PC hot garbage. I like plays. So I definitely wanted to see whatever he did next. Hamilton attempts to fool Americans into thinking the play “honored” Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. I can't understand some of the cast at times. I’ve only been hearing from people who like the article. Way overhyped. This was worse than cats. And that’s how I feel. Well, he didn't have to passively wait. So a huge thing is also the fact that all of the main characters are being played by people of color, but there are no historical people of color represented. John Laurens, sure, was very unusual for being anti-slavery; it’s not really clear that Alexander Hamilton was particularly anti-slavery. Top Stories. And it fits, frankly, with what Miranda said about how he identifies with Alexander Hamilton. Jul 02, 2020 . The success of Hamilton has nothing to do with the play itself, in as much as Obama has a record of success. My last question is: What’s it like to criticize something that everyone loves? Yes, even worse than Cats. A subplot involving Hamilton’s affair with the married Maria Reynolds (a sultry Olivia Puckett) and the scandal it causes remains underdeveloped in its attempt to reveal layers of Alexander’s character. Obama duped white people in much the same way. And to say that he didn’t own any slaves? I think that comes out really strongly with King George, who is the only major character who’s portrayed by a white actor [Jonathan Groff], and who sings Beatles-style songs, and is obviously representing the Empire, England, as opposed to the revolutionaries, who are all people of color. They were huge slave owners. In March, writer Gene Demby, a huge fan of the musical, wondered on NPR’s Code Switch why its audience is so resoundingly white. Were you excited, or did you have your skeptical-historian hat on? The Verdict Read Critics' Original Reviews for Hamilton on Broadway. Not funny. Pure. The singing it just not that good and sometimes hard to understand. Got a lot farther by working a lot harder/ By being a lot smarter/ By being a self-starter. It wasn’t a moral achievement, just an economic reality. We would have been completely disgusted with the show, and it would be this weird cultural footnote that somebody tried to do that. You can get a bad boss despite Booz's theoretically good practices. He could have written one himself. He’s this perfect father figure and he has nothing to do with slavery. As opposed to race-conscious casting, which is very much saying These are parts that are designed for people of color. The cast is absolutely terrible, why is everyone black in a musical portraying the founding fathers? I loved [Miranda’s first Broadway musical] In the Heights. Why did they make George Washington black? This isn’t your stuffy old-school history that’s just praising white people. So yes, the first words sung are a little shocking, but Hamilton is an amazing musical which makes history and democracy cool, interesting, … ... " kids gender flipping the lead roles because "no one's voice is set in high school," and that he can't wait to see a "bad-ass" female Jefferson or Hamilton. I have no idea why this musical is so overhyped. I have no idea why this musical is so overhyped. Sat through it with my wife for what seemed like 10 hours. Lin Manuel's voice is like nails on a chalkboard and the lyrics of the songs are like a child wrote them and the delivery is like a middle school theater production. Acknowledging that the show may have the power to interest kids in the history of the Revolutionary era because of the way its major roles are cast, Monteiro asks: “Is this the history that we most want black and brown youth to connect with—one in which black lives so clearly do not matter?”. Its honestly so bad that its funny. So I think that helps. I appreciate the Review: Why Hamilton is the greatest musical yet written” Mr. Treanor provided a thorough synopsis of this historically based tale and clearly convinced me not to subject myself to the political bent narrative. “A musical for bad times,” as he described it, is not my cup of tea. Can't believe how bad this was. Yeah! The camera work is even worse!!! Out of all the musicales I've seen this was probably one of the worst ones. So the 12th line of the play where it’s mentioned, “he struggled and kept his guard up” is the line right after talking about slaves being slaughtered and carted away. She makes it really clear that she loves the musical, and it’s also problematic in all the ways that I describe. Hard to understand audio. This idea that if you’re smart enough, you can write your way out of the projects, kind of a thing? Watching a bunch of dorks try to rap about the signing of the constitution is one of the best laughs I have had in a while. Perfect for curious 9 year olds. Oh yeah, as a theatrical production, it’s incredible. Hamilton review: The close-ups and camera movements in this version enhance the charisma of the performers. American musicals are to music what Asian-Western "fusion" food is to gastronomy, a blend of two things that should stay separate. He’s absolutely documented to have done that. It’s a politically dangerous narrative, because it has the tendency to obscure the ways in which so many people are blocked from those kinds of opportunities. Not sure what all the hype is about. I asked Monteiro if she’d be willing to talk to me about her critique of Hamilton and the response it’s received. Founders Chic tends to really downplay the involvement of the Founding Fathers in slavery, and this play does that 100 percent. They seriously would have actually made this watchable if they just put the whole. This hugely overrated work is not different. Completely and utterly overhyped. Good pay, great benefits, and a theoretically good management structure. It would be so appalling to audiences and the show would have just completely been a disaster if they had cast white people to play all of these roles. I actually heard from [writer] Junot Díaz last night, he just wrote me out of the blue and said, “I love the article, it was really important.”. Andrew E. … Review: In ‘Hamilton,’ Lin-Manuel Miranda Forges Democracy Through Rap. Because I care less about historical details, and much more about the way that we tell stories about the past, and why. His dad came as an immigrant from Puerto Rico and was successful, and you know, his son went to Wesleyan and became Lin-Manuel Miranda! 10/10! My. Not funny. All contents © 2021 The Slate Group LLC. My argument is basically that the play does a lot of this thing that we call “Founders Chic” as a representational strategy. In any case, here's my review for HAMILTON!#Hamilton Your critique is not just about the way the roles were cast, but also about the way that the supposedly “color-blind” casting has been deployed as a way to buttress the credibility of the project. Exactly, it was called “hiring out.” And it was super common, particularly in cities, for people who owned surplus slaves to rent them out by the year, or by the job, to people who didn’t own slaves. My girlfriend who is more liberal than I felt worse about it. All rights reserved. Totally. A Critical Review of Hamilton: I Had High Hopes, But Left Disappointed. I thought it was incredible. Adult Written by trying2Bhelpful July 6, 2020. age 9+. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. In the show, Hamilton is a tireless revolutionary, … The same can … I grew up doing musical theater, and there’s part of me that still fantasizes about being on Broadway. In February, performance studies scholar James McMaster, writing for HowlRound, pointed out how completely the show fails to pass the Bechdel test. I do think it accounts for why the musical has been so popular among conservative commentators, who fucking love it. This is laughable! Sapcommjr. I'm glad I didnt pay to see this boring show. Pure comedy! Just another example of people scared to criticize people with tans. Hamilton’s central failing is that it fails to convey those beliefs, and thus gives viewers the impression that our nation’s founding was the result of purely personal psychodrama. Lin-Manuel Miranda addresses the audience after, how completely the show fails to pass the Bechdel test, why its audience is so resoundingly white, cautioned audiences not to look to the musical for historical accuracy, he struggled and kept his guard up” is the line right after talking about slaves being slaughtered and carted away, not really clear that Alexander Hamilton was particularly anti-slavery. And I don’t want to downplay that, either. Review by Brian Lowry, CNN. Booz does have a good system in which you have a Career Manager who can advocate for you when you have a bad supervisor, but it has its limits. This movie isnt even worth a watch. In the fall, sales of its cast recording and advance tickets for shows began to break records. Not good music. Absolute garbage I literally had to get glasses after looking at that pile of trash overhyped there all nonces terrible cast. While we're used to seeing Hollywood adaptations of stage musicals, this is just the stage musical, with cameras catching every moment. [Laughing] Honestly, I haven’t been getting a bad reaction. The representation of slavery in the musical is one of the things that bothered you the most about Hamilton. And although Miranda tries his best, he does not always avoid the pervasive hero … Hamilton became a goddamned juggernaut seemingly overnight. The musical relies on it, and it’s grafted on this hip-hop aspect of the story …. Hamilton opens to five-star reviews. Report this review. Can you explain what the difference is for you between race-blind casting and race-conscious casting, which you argue is what’s actually going on in Hamilton? And I honestly haven’t heard from anyone who says something negative about the article. Christopher Jackson is wonderful in the role (my God, this man can sing) but while everyone else gets dinged enough to balance their legends with their humanity, … I can't understand some of the cast at times. Basically what the supposedly color-blind casting does, is it gives Hamilton, the show, the ability to say, Oh, we’re not just telling old, white history. I think that’s partially because she doesn’t know what to say because she loves it so much. The way that the story of the founding of the country is told erases people of color so consistently, that it was super easy for him to do it this way. And so, it would be very easy for him to just have the impression that there are no black people in this history because they’re just not there. And you identify differences in the way the actors were deployed, in terms of musical style. In September, the show’s composer, lyricist, and star, Lin-Manuel Miranda, won a MacArthur “genius” grant. A Hamilton Skeptic on Why the Show Isn’t As Revolutionary As It Seems ... There’s this way that Thomas Jefferson is represented as the one bad Founding Father who did participate in slavery. Jul 4, 2020. And the initial casting calls also tend to indicate that as well, that they weren’t looking for white actors to do these roles to begin with. Have you been able to see the musical in person? I’ve listened to the soundtrack I-don’t-know-how-many times. Check box if your review contains spoilers. Definitely over-hyped. This is the worst movie I've seen all year. Oh yes! There’s this way that Thomas Jefferson is represented as the one bad Founding Father who did participate in slavery. And the truth is that if you write an hour-long play about why Hamilton is bad, as Ishmael Reed did, the simplest explanation is that you are just mad as hell (in the Biblical Cam’ron sense). Unfortunately, it's not very good. The last of the four responses to the article that the National Council on Public History is publishing is by [historian] Annette Gordon-Reed [author of several books on Thomas Jefferson and the Hemings family], and her response is awesome. It’s an awesome opportunity for so many actors. It truly is a wonderfully crafted and thought out piece that shows much-needed unity in a time of such division. Because that’s probably not what he learned in history in school, and it’s certainly not what he would learn from reading Ron Chernow’s biography of Hamilton. Can we talk about the question of the bootstraps narrative a little bit? I definitely have. As a Broadway musical, it’s amazing and deserves all the credit it gets. Why did they make George Washington black? One variable that contributed to my general indifference to Hamilton is easy to pinpoint: the more people clamor over how much I have to see/hear/taste/smell/touch something, the more I get turned off. What was your relationship to the idea of it before you saw it?
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