Thomas Kail Archives - North West End UK

1Jul

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Hamilton – Birmingham Hippodrome

Battling over who becomes the next American president took place twice last week. Once as two white men - one stumbling inarticulately, the other lying shamelessly - battled on TV, the second as a vibrantly talented and culturally diverse cast of astonishing performers retold the tale of the early days of America and its constitution. The former making me weep for the future of our planet, the latter filling me with hope for the future of our species. “Hamilton” is Lin-Manuel Miranda’s barn-storming, hip-hop, rapping Broadway smash which has enchanted the world for nearly a decade. And though, the rapping occasionally narrows the bandwidth of what is possible in a musical, this is undoubtedly a writer aware of his theatrical heritage. Listen carefully and you’ll hear traces of Gilbert a...

Hamilton – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

The hype over Hamilton is spot on. This show tells the story of a political man, ambitious to make his mark in a time long gone and it does so with incredible spectacle, drama, humour and pathos. Currently touring the UK and Ireland, I was lucky enough to catch it at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh. The set is a work of art by acclaimed designer, David Korins. It enables the bold, powerful dancers to tell their story on every level. As the auditorium fills, the empty stage is beautifully lit with a rich, almost visceral palette and Howell Binkley’s lighting design lends nuance and substance to every musical note throughout the evening. Howell Binkley deserves his award for lighting this show. The entire cast did their director, Thomas Kail, and his associates proud. It’s a word-hea...

Hamilton – Palace Theatre, Manchester

The Palace Theatre: 'The Grand Old Lady of Oxford Street', was dressed in her finest bib and tucker last night with a host of Northern glitterati present for the opening night of the much anticipated inaugural UK Tour of Hamilton. Anyone who has already booked their seats for a performance over the next sixteen weeks of its residency here is in for an absolute treat, this production brings the beauty and complexity of the West End and Broadway productions, whilst the cast to add their own unique interpretation of the characters combining to demonstrate musical theatre in its finest modern form. For those who are unaware of the cultural phenomenon that is 'Hamilton', it tells the story of Alexander Hamilton (Shaq Taylor) and his rise from Caribbean poverty to become one of the founding f...