The World Needs More Hamiltons, A West End Review

Photo by Daniela Denyer Malo

Few productions have reshaped modern theatre quite like the Hamilton musical. Since its debut, it has not only dominated the stage but also rewritten the benchmarks of commercial and cultural success on Broadway and beyond.

The musical became the fastest show in history to surpass $1 billion in gross revenue, while repeatedly setting new records for the highest weekly takings, at times exceeding $4 million for just eight performances. At the Richard Rodgers Theatre, it has consistently drawn extraordinary audiences, often operating at over 100% capacity, a rare feat that underscores its enduring demand.

Critically, its achievements have been just as remarkable. In 2016, Hamilton secured an unprecedented 16 Tony Award nominations, alongside 13 nominations at the Olivier Awards in London’s West End. That same year, it was awarded the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Drama, cementing its place as a work of serious artistic merit.

Its influence extends far beyond the stage. The original cast recording has become the best-selling in history, dominating charts for years and achieving record-breaking streaming numbers. It has remained a fixture on Billboard rankings, redefining what a theatre soundtrack can achieve in the digital age. Globally, the musical’s success has been evidenced in sold-out tours and record-breaking runs. Even on screen, its 2020 release on Disney+ sparked a surge in viewership, significantly boosting platform engagement.

But Google can tell you all of this. It has become world famous, is one of the oldest-yet-still-running West-End shows, has built the career of many of its leading actors, and even been turned into a movie to be streamed worldwide for those who can’t see it live - yet without having direct contact with this work of art its incomprehensible how it has achieved such an impact on the world. 

As a fan of the soundtrack, I’d wanted to see it for years but hadn’t had the chance. So when I came across miraculously cheap tickets in the third row and the good company of another massive theatre fan - my dad - I had to see what it was all about. 

If you’re one of the people who doesn’t understand why the story of a US-American revolutionary, immigrant, and founding father has stayed on the West-End for so many years, let me tell you it’s all about the emotion and passion that’s transmitted by every member of the cast throughout the entirety of the two acts. The story itself will make you laugh, cry and even sing along, but the cast itself brings a whole other level of passion to the show. 

In theatre and show business, you'll rarely find anyone who doesn’t smile while singing and dancing because it’s part of making sure the crowd enjoys. However, the unmistakable shine and joy found in the eyes of Hamilton’s cast cannot be taught or faked. Every person on that stage feels every emotion with the crowd, but the talent, effort, and true passion shines through constantly. 

Beyond the elements of theatre that are beautifully evidenced here, and the lovely experience the Victoria Palace Theatre itself provides, why does this man’s story continue to mesmerize the world?

Part of what makes the Hamilton musical so captivating is not just its innovation, but its timing. It arrives - again and again - at moments when the world feels increasingly shaped by cynicism, short-termism, and leaders more concerned with spectacle than substance. In an era marked by the rise of populist movements, from figures like Donald Trump to parties such as Reform UK, the global political landscape has grown louder, more polarised, and often more transactional. Across continents, the resurgence of the far right, deepening inequality, and the persistence of conflict have left many disillusioned with the very idea of public service.

And yet, Hamilton endures, because it reminds us of a different kind of ambition.

Alexander Hamilton, as imagined on stage, is not driven by comfort, nor by the pursuit of popularity. He is propelled by an almost relentless sense of purpose: a belief that ideas matter, that words can shape nations, and that individual agency, however improbable, can alter the course of history. He even reminds us where political divisions truly come from - a different reality to what we’ve let them become. His story resonates so deeply today precisely because it feels increasingly rare. 

In a world where power is often pursued for its own sake, Hamilton celebrates a man who pursued it to build, to write, to leave something behind that would outlast him.

Perhaps that is why audiences continue to adore this work of art. Not simply because of the music or the spectacle, but because the musical quietly asks something of us: what would it mean to care that much again? To be so consumed by a vision of change that apathy becomes impossible? 

Who do we want to tell our story and what do they want them to say when the time comes?

In uncertain times, the world does not just admire figures like Hamilton, it longs for them. In a world of sensasionalist headlines, scary conflicts, and painful realities, we need more Hamiltons to stand up to what’s wrong, to fight for human rights - for human life. 

More than a musical, Hamilton is a cultural phenomenon, one that has not only captivated audiences but fundamentally

photo by Daniela Denyer Malo

transformed the scale of what musical theatre can accomplish. But it is also, now more than ever, a call to action – a reminder that there is more to life than the mundane. Because most of our names will disappear into history after a generation or two, regardless of riches, fame or likability. But we will be remembered as the civilisation and the generation that allowed certain things to happen… or as the one that changed them. 

When you’re gone, who remembers your name? Who keeps your flame? Who tells your story?

And more importantly, what do you want them to say?

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Edited by Grace Mahoney. Theatre Editor