Hamilton Australia

When Hamilton Australia debuted on the Sydney stage in 2021, I didn’t even know about it. And when I did hear about it later on, I couldn’t have cared less. So, it’s a musical about some guy in American history. If I didn’t see it, What Did I Miss? Oh, but how little I knew then. Just you wait…

It wasn’t until 2023, after I discovered that I had an absolute passion for American history, that I finally began to pay attention. Around July last year, I saw a TV commercial for Hamilton Australia, saying that 2024 would be their final season, with “no further extension in sight”. From then on, I’ve been itching to go and see it for myself.

Unfortunately, ticket and travel prices just made things unreachable. Even with offered discounts, we were Helpless. But I didn’t want to throw away My Shot, and it’s a good thing I didn’t. In mid-January, Hamilton announced its final sale where they locked the ticket prices for all seats. That caught our eyes.

In a completely spontaneous decision one Wednesday night, we took the plunge and bought tickets for my dad and I to see Hamilton that Saturday. And these weren’t any ordinary tickets: because all seats were the same price, we managed to save some fantastic spots in the Grand Circle! We felt like celebrities. Those next two days felt like an eternity, but I was willing to Wait For It. 

Rediscovering Sydney

The last time I had been in Sydney was January 2020, and that had only been on a returning flight from South Africa (2020…yep, the year The World Turned Upside Down). With this in mind, I found it surreal to step back into Australia’s most iconic city and see how it had changed since I had last walked its streets.

Around Sydney Central, I found myself thinking how glad I was that I don’t live in such a big city. The roaring roads, the run-down shopfronts, the countless people everywhere…it’s just not my kind of thing. But as we stepped into Darling Harbour, all of that faded away. 

Modern but beautiful, the architecture and design of the waterfront is exceptional. From the wide walkways to the countless cafes every few metres, they’ve really done an amazing job with designing it. Despite the torrential rain that poured upon our arrival, it was really nice.

My dad and I spent most of our time around the National Maritime Museum, admiring the Guns and Ships that are on display there. My favourite is the scale replica of the HMB Endeavour; the ship that Captain Cook sailed on when he landed up in Botany Bay, 1770. There were also some more modern ships, such as the naval destroyer Vampire II, and an enormous submarine HMAS Onslow. (who knew submarines were so big??)

I have to say, Darling Harbour has that name for a reason. Unlike the rest of the busy, bustling, brick-and-mortar city, I’d absolutely want to go back and visit the waterfront again—especially the Maritime Museum.

The Sydney Lyric Theatre

Eventually, after much sight-seeing, we made our way to the Sydney Lyric Theatre. The pre-show lounge was extremely lush; glossy stone walls, gorgeous flooring, and cocktail bars with people Raising a Glass to Freedom. To my fortune, I managed to get myself a Hamilton T-shirt from the gift shop (and I would’ve taken the hoodie, had it not cost $90!). 

We waited for the initial rush of people to subside before we made our way to the Grand Circle lounge, on the third level (celebrities do things in their own time, right?). My excitement grew when we were led to our seats in the theatre—or, as I like to call it, The Room Where It Happens—and I saw the stage below. It seemed so far away from us, and yet somehow I could pick out each and every detail on the colonial-style set. It was quite the architectural marvel.

Suddenly, the lights faded. The orchestra played. And the show began.

The Magic of Hamilton Australia

If I could tell you everything I enjoyed about the show, we’d be here for hours. All in all, the show was incredible and it turned out to blow us all away.

I was completely enthralled by each scene, captivated Non-Stop as the story unfolded. Frankly, I abhor rap music, but the composition of it all left me spellbound to the point where I loved it. And the dancing too; the choreography was a work of art.

Through it all, I had to keep reminding myself that this wasn’t just a fun story I was watching—I was watching history; a powerful rendition and reenactment of what actually happened just over two centuries ago. (well, I doubt George Washington was a rapper, but the plot of Hamilton is completely historical)

And in this, I couldn’t help but wonder about the people in the audience who didn’t know this history. I’d say easily 90% of the viewers went in without any prior knowledge of the historical significance behind the nuances in Hamilton.

Image Credit: Hamilton Australia

As someone who has spent a good few years studying the Revolutionary founding of America, I do believe I had a much better appreciation for Hamilton, compared to those who might’ve attended purely for the music and entertainment. I say that with the utmost respect, of course, but the questions are still out there:

Do those viewers know the significant role Lafayette played in the history?

Do those viewers know why Rochambeau was featured in the song, ‘Yorktown’?

Do those viewers truly understand any of the nuances in ‘You’ll Be Back’?

Don’t get me wrong; I know that you don’t need to know the history in order to enjoy the story—it’s a masterpiece on its own, history or not. And even I am not fully knowledgeable; there are thousands of scholars, authors, and historians who have studied far more than I’ll ever know about the Revolution. 

Still, I can’t help but think of how the meaning of Hamilton could have gone so much deeper if the viewers could understand just a little bit more of the history behind it.

Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story?

The early morning, late night, and 7 hours of travelling through torrential rain just to see a 3-hour musical was totally worth it. Hamilton has not just met my expectations, but exceeded them by a million.

I may have come back from Sydney with a new T-shirt, a poster book and an empty lunchbox, but the greatest gift of all is by far the countless memories I made on this incredible day. They’re ones that I will cherish forever and I hope I’ll never, ever forget.

Even now, imagining the colonial set on stage brings a smile to my face. I don’t know how to Say Goodbye to an experience like that. Sometimes, it’s as if I can still hear the cast singing to me, “You’ll Be Back.” 

Oh yes, Hamilton, I would love to have gone back and seen it one last time. I even joked that I will never be Satisfied, because after seeing the show, I wanted to go back and see it again. That’s the magic of it all; it’s so good, you just cannot get enough of it. Lin-Manuel Miranda certainly had a mind at work when he created Hamilton.

And that leaves me with you, the reader. I hope that by sharing the inexplicable joy I had from getting to see Hamilton, I would inspire you to do the same—not to go and watch the musical (though if you can, please do!!), but to seek out experiences that combine your passions with precious time spent with the ones you love the most. Just look around, and consider how lucky we are to be alive right now.

Sometimes it might take a leap of faith; a spur-of-the-moment act of spontaneity; but I tell you what, it’s moments like those that you will never regret.

Image Credit: Hamilton Australia