What we thought of smash hit 'Hamilton' at Sunderland Empire

But smash hit ‘Hamilton’ has set up shop for a six-week run at the Sunderland Empire and there was not an empty seat in the house.

From the opening number, the cast enthralled the theatre and a race through the history of the founding of America, with lots of personal drama along the way, left many cheeks damp from the occasional sob.

Written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and based on the life of the USA’s first treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton, ‘Hamilton’ is a show that is frantic, energetic, hopeful and political.

The show whisks the audience from the revolutionary war to the political fallout that followed the establishing of the country. Big names from history are present, from George Washington to Thomas Jefferson and even King George III.

(Image: Hamilton UK Tour) Its creator Miranda made the conscious decision to always cast the show with ethnic minorities in the main roles – it results in what he calls ‘the story of America then, by the America of now’.

And the UK tour does not break from this tradition, with Marley Fenton and Billy Nevers in the two lead roles.

Fenton’s Hamilton is more youthful than other iterations, but his performance gives you the impression that this historic man was someone who considered the words he spoke – and he spoke a lot of words. As some in the cast plead, ‘Why do you write like you’re running out of time?’, Fenton’s Hamilton responds by not only saying a lot, but by making sure the audience understands the gravity of what is being said. His subtle facial expressions tell a lot and his demeanour sways from cocksure and sassy to weighted and soberly attached to his role in the country’s leadership.

(Image: Hamilton UK Tour) Nevers plays Aaron Burr – ‘the damn fool that shot Hamilton’ – as he tells the audience in the opener. It sets the scene for conflict throughout the show and Nevers plays this descent to the fatal duel with gravitas. His Burr is quietly considerate, an introspective political beast who is aware of the situations unfolding around him. He has a principled ‘no principles’ stand which is an oxymoron at the heart of the character that Nevers nails. Not only that, but his powerhouse vocals are effortless.

He breezes through the higher tones of Burr’s modus operandi ‘Wait For It’ and riffs his way through Burr’s jealous rage-cum-political satire ‘The Room Where it Happens’. Burr may be the ‘villain in your history’, but Nevers’ portrayal is one that will make audiences sympathise with him.

Casey Al-Shaqsy and Chasity Crisp put in solid performances as Eliza and Angelica Schuyler – who become the focus of the story as it wheels away from politics and hones in on the inter-personal drama that Miranda writes so well. Al-Shaqsy understands that Eliza is the eventual epicentre of the show and her performance endears her to the people watching, ensuring they accompany her on her journey into, out of, and back into love with Hamilton.

(Image: Hamilton UK Tour) However, as is the case in a lot of these kind of shows, the comic relief in the form of King George ended up being a scene stealer. Louis Maskell’s limby portrayal of the monarch descending into madness after the break-up of America and the UK was great and included a not-so-subtle dig at current US President Donald Trump in the form of a spot-on impression which left the theatre in stitches.

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‘Hamilton’ is a show like no other. It thrills, excites and amuses. And it also makes you care about a lesser-known figure in history.

The show is a smash and it’s not hard to see why.

The UK Tour of ‘Hamilton’ is based at the Sunderland Empire until Saturday July 26 and tickets can be bought at: https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/hamilton/sunderland-empire/.