Politoblog

When the musical Hamilton was first staged back in 2015, I, like many others, quickly learnt the lyrics to most of the songs, convincing myself I could rap. After having seen the musical on the West End in 2019, I moved on with my life, largely forgetting about it until its ten-year anniversary was celebrated at the Tony Awards this summer. Memories of this swashbuckling tale came rushing back to me, and with them, a desire to revisit the songs. If you’re not in the know, Hamilton tells the story of young upstart Alexander Hamilton and his rise to become a military commander in the American Civil War and Treasury Secretary under President George Washington. Following accusations of embezzlement by his political adversaries, Alexander (as he is known in the musical) refutes these claims by revealing an affair he had with a married woman. This triggers his political downfall, followed shortly by his early death at the hands of his political rival Aaron Burr. I’m a big fan of the musical...