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Post by Michael on Mar 11, 2016 19:42:41 GMT
Just picked up my ticket for tonight. It's 2.30pm local time and the cancellation line is already 14 people long. The guys in the tents are professional line sitters and camp overnight at most of the days - people are paying them for a chance for a returned ticket. That's crazy.  |
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Post by ali973 on Mar 11, 2016 21:38:49 GMT
I'm arranging for my trip to the US in December and while I'm seeing Broadway shows I'm re-routing my Hamilton attendance to the Chicago sit-down production which didn't go on sale yet. My dates are picked and my Credit Card is on standby.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2016 21:55:40 GMT
Am I the only one praying the West End does not become what Broadway has with Hamilton?
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Post by ali973 on Mar 11, 2016 22:02:30 GMT
Why not? It's an exciting global cultural phenomenon and exposes and mainstreams musical theatre to people who have never considered it before. It nourishes the industry, creates new audiences, and encourages more creative and cutting edge work.
If it's crowd control you're worried..just avoid? So long as it's not across the street from where you live why would it bother you?
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2016 22:17:44 GMT
Why not? It's an exciting global cultural phenomenon and exposes and mainstreams musical theatre to people who have never considered it before. It nourishes the industry, creates new audiences, and encourages more creative and cutting edge work. If it's crowd control you're worried..just avoid? So long as it's not across the street from where you live why would it bother you? It's nothing to do with that, and I agree with all the business and culture aspects. If at the New London, it won't really be in anyones way etc...
But what I was meaning is like, on here and everything. On the Broadwayworld Forum, every other thread is Hamilton this, Hamilton that... I just don't want the hype to ruin it for me when I go if it is not, as it appears to some, "the greatest musical ever!". Do you know what I mean?
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Post by ali973 on Mar 11, 2016 22:26:05 GMT
I have to agree that there will be endless talk about it even before it opens. I wish they would have delayed the announcement or would open it this year instead. I'm not sure what's stopping them especially since there will be three simultaneous US productions running by the end of the year. Maybe it has to do with theatre availability in London.
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Post by charliec on Mar 11, 2016 22:26:44 GMT
Just picked up my ticket for tonight. It's 2.30pm local time and the cancellation line is already 14 people long. The guys in the tents are professional line sitters and camp overnight at most of the days - people are paying them for a chance for a returned ticket. That's crazy. When I did the cancellation line in October I started a line at 2:30pm and we were allowed to queue inside! |
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Post by Michael on Mar 11, 2016 22:29:26 GMT
I fear that I can only be disappointed, as good as the show may be. At least I managed to not listen to the cast recording, so I'm going completely "unprepared", and tonight will be my first encounter with Hamilton. I'm really excited.
While I was waiting for the sole box office guy to be available, a few people came in, and they were told that the earliest ticket availability is for December.
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Post by Michael on Mar 11, 2016 22:34:35 GMT
When I did the cancellation line in October I started a line at 2:30pm and we were allowed to queue inside! Were you at least successful? A (staff) lady told me that meanwhile the cancellation line builds up over night. As I've said above: The guys in the tents are doing this professionally and selling their place in line to someone who doesn't want to wait for such a long time (I guess they are prebooked by them). These guys are in the queue (almost) every day. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2016 22:38:12 GMT
I am hoping it is at least like The Book of Mormon over here, where for the first 6 months or first year, it was all anyone talked about. But now, whilst one of the biggest hits in London still, it is not thrown in your face as much as it was. It is just happily running.  |
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Post by Joseph Buquet on Mar 11, 2016 23:04:30 GMT
Why is it so popular? I've got the cast recording, but haven't had time to listen to it yet. I did watch the performance at the Grammy Awards, and felt that I'd already heard about 80% of the musical motifs and arrangements already in In the Heights (right down to the last note of the song). Don't get me wrong - I LOVE In the Heights, but people aren't exactly fighting to get tickets for it here, so I'm interested to know why there's such extreme hype around Hamilton. It's not like the subject-matter seems that exciting...
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2016 23:14:01 GMT
Why is it so popular? I've got the cast recording, but haven't had time to listen to it yet. I did watch the performance at the Grammy Awards, and felt that I'd already heard about 80% of the musical motifs and arrangements already in In the Heights (right down to the last note of the song). Don't get me wrong - I LOVE In the Heights, but people aren't exactly fighting to get tickets for it here, so I'm interested to know why there's such extreme hype around Hamilton. It's not like the subject-matter seems that exciting... I actually agree that I have no idea why it is so popular... I only go to shows that I have an interest in, whether it be story, performer or music. But nothing about this really appeals to me at all. The story sounds uninteresting, granted I haven't heard the whole score. |
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Post by Michael on Mar 11, 2016 23:35:58 GMT
Just picked up my ticket for tonight. It's 2.30pm local time and the cancellation line is already 14 people long. The guys in the tents are professional line sitters and camp overnight at most of the days - people are paying them for a chance for a returned ticket. That's crazy. Update: 6.30pm, and there are now more than 40 people in the cancellation line; the tents are now gone. Are there really that many returns? I for one would only queue up if I were the fifth person in line at most. And definitely not longer than for 2h... |
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Post by Jon on Mar 11, 2016 23:51:00 GMT
I love Hamilton but you can't really judge it based just on the cast recording, it has to be seen to really appreciate it.
I assume Hamilton already has its theatre in London lined up since the producers were scouting last year, I think it'll be the Victoria Palace when it reopens next year,
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2016 1:37:01 GMT
Why is it so popular? I've got the cast recording, but haven't had time to listen to it yet. I did watch the performance at the Grammy Awards, and felt that I'd already heard about 80% of the musical motifs and arrangements already in In the Heights (right down to the last note of the song). Don't get me wrong - I LOVE In the Heights, but people aren't exactly fighting to get tickets for it here, so I'm interested to know why there's such extreme hype around Hamilton. It's not like the subject-matter seems that exciting... I actually agree that I have no idea why it is so popular... I only go to shows that I have an interest in, whether it be story, performer or music. But nothing about this really appeals to me at all. The story sounds uninteresting, granted I haven't heard the whole score. I saw it before the cast recording came out. The thing that's so amazing about Hamilton is that there's all this hype about it and yet it actually lives up to it. I really like The Book of Mormon but I don't think it lived up to its hype. You shouldn't judge the music of Hamilton from the Grammys alone. They chose that number to perform because it sets everything up and explains, it doesn't need to be put into context, but it's actually one of the weakest songs in the show. I like the score for In the Heights, but Hamilton's is much better and more accomplished. It also sounds different. There is much more rap in Hamilton and rather than the salsa/latin music of In the Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda has incorporated the rap with R&B. He also wrote the book for Hamilton. He didn't for In the Heights and most people will state that the weakest part of ITH is the book. I agree that on paper the show sounds boring/weird. I don't think most people that are clamouring to get tickets were necessarily interested in Alexander Hamilton before they knew the show. But that's what makes it genius, LMM has made it interesting, he's made it fun, he's made it accessible. Not for one moment watching that show was I uninterested or bored. Yes there are a few people on BWW that don't like Hamilton, but you have to put that into comparison to the thousands upon thousands that love it. It's impossible to write something that everyone likes, but this one comes pretty close. I will say one thing though. This show, nor any other, is worth queuing up overnight for the chance to get a ticket. It's far, far better to wait until the next batch go on sale, buy one at normal price and wait patiently. I've done it twice now and I am looking forward to my next time seeing the show in Summer. |
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Post by Michael on Mar 12, 2016 2:29:42 GMT
I saw it before the cast recording came out. The thing that's so amazing about Hamilton is that there's all this hype about it and yet it actually lives up to it. I really like The Book of Mormon but I don't think it lived up to its hype. You shouldn't judge the music of Hamilton from the Grammys alone. They chose that number to perform because it sets everything up and explains, it doesn't need to be put into context, but it's actually one of the weakest songs in the show. I like the score for In the Heights, but Hamilton's is much better and more accomplished. It also sounds different. There is much more rap in Hamilton and rather than the salsa/latin music of In the Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda has incorporated the rap with R&B. He also wrote the book for Hamilton. He didn't for In the Heights and most people will state that the weakest part of ITH is the book. I agree that on paper the show sounds boring/weird. I don't think most people that are clamouring to get tickets were necessarily interested in Alexander Hamilton before they knew the show. But that's what makes it genius, LMM has made it interesting, he's made it fun, he's made it accessible. Not for one moment watching that show was I uninterested or bored. Yes there are a few people on BWW that don't like Hamilton, but you have to put that into comparison to the thousands upon thousands that love it. It's impossible to write something that everyone likes, but this one comes pretty close. I will say one thing though. This show, nor any other, is worth queuing up overnight for the chance to get a ticket. It's far, far better to wait until the next batch go on sale, buy one at normal price and wait patiently. I've done it twice now and I am looking forward to my next time seeing the show in Summer. After just sitting through the first act, the show is for me everything you said but in reverse. I even considered leaving at the interval, but as the money is spent anyway, I can also watch the second act but I doubt it'll get any better. The only parts I sort of enjoyed so far were the opening number and the King George segments. That said: judging by the audience reactions, I seem to be pretty much alone with my opinion though, as everybody else loves it. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2016 3:55:21 GMT
I saw it before the cast recording came out. The thing that's so amazing about Hamilton is that there's all this hype about it and yet it actually lives up to it. I really like The Book of Mormon but I don't think it lived up to its hype. You shouldn't judge the music of Hamilton from the Grammys alone. They chose that number to perform because it sets everything up and explains, it doesn't need to be put into context, but it's actually one of the weakest songs in the show. I like the score for In the Heights, but Hamilton's is much better and more accomplished. It also sounds different. There is much more rap in Hamilton and rather than the salsa/latin music of In the Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda has incorporated the rap with R&B. He also wrote the book for Hamilton. He didn't for In the Heights and most people will state that the weakest part of ITH is the book. I agree that on paper the show sounds boring/weird. I don't think most people that are clamouring to get tickets were necessarily interested in Alexander Hamilton before they knew the show. But that's what makes it genius, LMM has made it interesting, he's made it fun, he's made it accessible. Not for one moment watching that show was I uninterested or bored. Yes there are a few people on BWW that don't like Hamilton, but you have to put that into comparison to the thousands upon thousands that love it. It's impossible to write something that everyone likes, but this one comes pretty close. I will say one thing though. This show, nor any other, is worth queuing up overnight for the chance to get a ticket. It's far, far better to wait until the next batch go on sale, buy one at normal price and wait patiently. I've done it twice now and I am looking forward to my next time seeing the show in Summer. After just sitting through the first act, the show is for me everything you said but in reverse. I even considered leaving at the interval, but as the money is spent anyway, I can also watch the second act but I doubt it'll get any better. The only parts I sort of enjoyed so far were the opening number and the King George segments. That said: judging by the audience reactions, I seem to be pretty much alone with my opinion though, as everybody else loves it. Well, what a shame! But yes as I said, nothing can be liked by everyone. The parts you mentioned are the ones I probably like the least haha. |
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Post by 49thand8th on Mar 12, 2016 4:42:07 GMT
Just picked up my ticket for tonight. It's 2.30pm local time and the cancellation line is already 14 people long. The guys in the tents are professional line sitters and camp overnight at most of the days - people are paying them for a chance for a returned ticket. That's crazy. Update: 6.30pm, and there are now more than 40 people in the cancellation line; the tents are now gone. Are there really that many returns? I for one would only queue up if I were the fifth person in line at most. And definitely not longer than for 2h... From what I understand, a lot of the tickets that become available in cancellation are people who won lotto but can't make it. |
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Post by ali973 on Mar 12, 2016 9:34:40 GMT
I saw it before the cast recording came out. The thing that's so amazing about Hamilton is that there's all this hype about it and yet it actually lives up to it. I really like The Book of Mormon but I don't think it lived up to its hype. You shouldn't judge the music of Hamilton from the Grammys alone. They chose that number to perform because it sets everything up and explains, it doesn't need to be put into context, but it's actually one of the weakest songs in the show. I like the score for In the Heights, but Hamilton's is much better and more accomplished. It also sounds different. There is much more rap in Hamilton and rather than the salsa/latin music of In the Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda has incorporated the rap with R&B. He also wrote the book for Hamilton. He didn't for In the Heights and most people will state that the weakest part of ITH is the book. I agree that on paper the show sounds boring/weird. I don't think most people that are clamouring to get tickets were necessarily interested in Alexander Hamilton before they knew the show. But that's what makes it genius, LMM has made it interesting, he's made it fun, he's made it accessible. Not for one moment watching that show was I uninterested or bored. Yes there are a few people on BWW that don't like Hamilton, but you have to put that into comparison to the thousands upon thousands that love it. It's impossible to write something that everyone likes, but this one comes pretty close. I will say one thing though. This show, nor any other, is worth queuing up overnight for the chance to get a ticket. It's far, far better to wait until the next batch go on sale, buy one at normal price and wait patiently. I've done it twice now and I am looking forward to my next time seeing the show in Summer. After just sitting through the first act, the show is for me everything you said but in reverse. I even considered leaving at the interval, but as the money is spent anyway, I can also watch the second act but I doubt it'll get any better. The only parts I sort of enjoyed so far were the opening number and the King George segments. That said: judging by the audience reactions, I seem to be pretty much alone with my opinion though, as everybody else loves it. I'm not saying this in a condescending or patronizing way at all, but given that you are a huge fan of Memphis, it does not surprise me one bit that you did not like Hamilton. |
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Post by talkstageytome on Mar 12, 2016 10:17:46 GMT
I am a big fan of both Memphis and Hamilton. What's the relationship between the two of them? I'm assuming the fact that the music styles are so different.. but then, are there many shows that have the same rap sound as Hamilton?
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Post by ali973 on Mar 12, 2016 10:48:49 GMT
It wasn't a blanket statement, actually. I'm glad you can enjoy both Hamilton and Memphis separately (as one should), since there's very little room of comparison and overlap between the shows.
I had a hunch that Michael wouldn't like it, having noticed a trend in the type of shows he likes. Again, not meant in a patronizing way at all. I happen to like Wicked. Just an observation now that I can match what shows some of the members are really into.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2016 12:04:38 GMT
The one real problem Hamilton has in my opinion is that there's so much of it. Difficult to take in at a single sitting, I enjoyed it far more my second time after I got to know the cast recording better.
Also maybe be careful not to judge the show on just the cast recording? The lighting and choreography in particular are absolutely tremendous, and although the show is almost entirely sung through so the cast recording does give you a solid knowledge of the music, lyrics, and story, there's SO MUCH MORE going on. Which I know is true for every show, but the completeness of the cast recording and brilliance of the visuals could make it a little bit easier and a little more unfair to forget for this particular show.
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Post by 49thand8th on Mar 12, 2016 20:01:05 GMT
I was surprised how much more I liked it the second time as well, even though I think at that point I'd only listened to the cast recording twice through (I still don't own it; I was listening on NPR). I don't feel a need to go back unless an actor I'm a huge fan of gets cast in it here or on tour, though.
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Post by talkstageytome on Mar 12, 2016 21:26:36 GMT
It wasn't a blanket statement, actually. I'm glad you can enjoy both Hamilton and Memphis separately (as one should), since there's very little room of comparison and overlap between the shows. I had a hunch that Michael wouldn't like it, having noticed a trend in the type of shows he likes. Again, not meant in a patronizing way at all. I happen to like Wicked. Just an observation now that I can match what shows some of the members are really into. Ahh I see. Looking back my question may have come off a bit abrupt but I didn't intend it too. I thought I was missing something. All this talk of Hamilton is making me more and more eager for it to come over. Friend of a friend said she knew someone auditioning for Angelica in the summer but I have no idea if this is just hearsay, or completely made up, or actually based on truth, but if it is true then that's exciting. I just want some solid proof of the transfer! |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2016 21:31:07 GMT
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