Highlights from the staging of Hamilton - Act 2

charliesolvednothing:

I was fortunate enough to get to see Hamilton and I cannot wait for the rest of you to see it because it’s just as brilliant as you’d imagine. And if Lin says it’s going to be filmed, I trust the guy!
I took a lot of notes, came to about 6 pages on the computer. I thought I’d share the highlights. I got some specific questions from tumblr users which are answered here. (covers Dear Theodosia, Guns & Ships, Take a Break)
And also all the Lams has its own post here, cause I’m the trash of that thing.
And here are the highlights for Act 1.

• What Did I Miss - How in the hell did Okieriete go from Mulligan to James Madison?? He’s a sick, old, white dude all of a sudden. Wtf kind of sorcery is this?!? It’s not acting, it’s witchcraft I tell you!
  

• Cabinet Battle #1 - Alright, Listen up cause this is important! Jefferson does A LEGIT FUCKING MIC DROP after “try to tax our whiskey”! Madison catches the mic before it hits the floor but it’s still the dopest shit ever!!

• Say No to This - Wait, James Reynolds is a Cowboy??

• Cabinet Battle #2 - Madison’s “France” is hilarious! Also Ham jumps around and mimics King Louis’ dead head.

• One Last Time - Seriously, I mean it’s great but Hamilton and Washington are dressed like some sort of 70’s disco pop duo with matching ruffled shirts and velvet pants. My notes just say “frilly duet/Prince”.

• I Know Him - King George finger quotes “Country”.
  
  An ensemble girl comes out and whispers John Adams in his ear and then proceeds to dissolve into a fit of giggles.
  

• The Adams Administration - So, King George orders out a stool and then sits down to view the beginning of the song. When Burr starts singing, King George does this ridiculous little chicken-like dance on the stool that was just so stupid that Leslie couldn’t keep from laughing. Poor guy had such troubles keeping a straight face and Groff was enjoying it waay too much.

• The Reynolds Pamphlet - King George fans his face with the Reynolds Pamphlet. Everyone’s throwing Reynolds Pamphlets. It’s raining Reynolds Pamphlets. The ensemble swims in the Reynolds Pamphlets. Yes, they literally lie down on the floor and pretend to swim around in the Reynolds Pamphlets. I want one!

• Blow Us All Away - Me too swooning ensemble ladies, me too!
  
  There bit where Philip goes to confront Eacker, they’re in a Broadway theater watching a show and there’s a play within the play. It’s very cool and unexpected.

• Stay Alive (reprise) - Everyone’s already wearing black when they come in. Ramos’ acting and his fucking death rattles should not be legal.
  
  Oh, yeah and the heartbeats are soo powerful and then after they stop… Eliza SCREAMS in agony and I was not the only one grabbing the armrest not to double over from the shock.
  

• It’s Quiet Uptown - No notes here, I was too busy sharing tissues with the 40-something suburban dad sitting next to me, who’d never heard anything from Hamilton before.  

• The Election of 1800 - Jefferson and Madison’s bromance is seriously underrated.
  
  When they sing “He seems approachable, like you could grab a beer with him” Burr fist pumps the air… I mean come on.
  

• Your Obedient Servant - Hamilton keeps writing as they present Burr with paper after paper of “30 years of disagreements”, Burr just has the most unimpressed expression and he’s just so done with this bullshit!

• The World Was Wide Enough - At “near the same spot my son died”, Philip comes back in, dressed in white with the spotlight on him, in the same place where Laurens stood when he died. ARE you kidding me?!?
  
  When Ham sees the other side, Laurens, Philip, his mother and Washington are all on the upper walk. When he talks about Eliza, she comes to him on the center stage and they take each other’s hands before she goes away and he’s left with Burr on the dueling ground.  
  

• Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story - Soo.. how much is safe for a person cry before they become dehydrated?
  
  “I can’t wait to see you again, it’s only a matter of time” Alexander comes out and takes Eliza’s hands, and they stand together for a while, like she’s meeting him on the other side.
  
  It ends with Eliza going to the front with the cast and ensemble behind her and she looks up at the sky and makes this loud gasp. I saw a post saying that this was a surprised gasp as she saw the audience who came to hear their story. However, I interpreted it as her last breath, like a death gasp and at that point you might have just fucking killed me as well.