Hamilton at the Victoria Palace theatre in London.

I wish I had something intelligent and insightful to say about this performance, but I really don’t. I’ve had little practice; I don’t review musicals very often.

I can only say that it was excellent in all ways. Musically it combined the best of musicals – catchy tunes, memorable chorus lines – with the best of hip hop – witty texts, cool rhymes, infectious energy. It’s energetic, funny and engaging, but also has enough depth of emotion to not feel superficial. Hamilton himself may be young, scrappy and hungry most of the time, but there is also room for Eliza’s sorrow, and thoughtful moments.

The whole performance is so refreshingly modern without overdoing it. The costumes are more or less in the historical style but the only wig in sight sits on the head of George III, clearly marking him as one of the old world. And half the cast are non-white – in a play where a good portion of the personages depicted were slave owners.

Here is an interesting review that does have intelligent things to say about the show.