Hamilton - The Play - London Victoria Palace - Last Night

Our receipt - 179 pounds for 2

Lulu - happy to finally see the play

Lulu has wanted to see Hamilton ever since it first came out. The play won 14 Tony Awards in New York City. It even won a Pulitzer Prize. Still I was not convinced. Horror stories of tickets costing thousands of dollars scared me away. Even with ticket prices of 200 pounds in London - the play was sold out for the next 6 days. I am not a fan of hip hop or rap music. So - there was not much interest for this 70 year old guy. 

I enjoy going to plays in London. I also like to bargain for tickets - find deals - etc. Lulu played to my vanity. She told me that I would find a deal.

We were lucky. England was going to be playing in a World Cup Soccer game. They had not advanced this far in 60 years. I am guessing some men - refused to miss the match. While I was at the box office - some tickets were being turned back in. I was able to get two tickets for 90 pounds each - in a good location. Nothing but the best for my girl.

Before the show - Keith prepared Pimms for us. Pimms is local cocktail and Lulu's favorite. Then we took the Tube to the theatre - about 20 minutes away. We found a pub - the Bag O Nails - and had supper. Folks were just coming in for the soccer match. At 7:10 - we were leaving and England scored! The place went wild. It looked like a wonderful night all around. 

Funny part - they gave me a receipt - they hold the ticket until curtain time. They did not want me reselling them. When we got to the theatre - my credit card and ID had to match the receipt. 

We got to the theatre - they looked at my cards - and gave me the tickets.

The Victoria Palace where we used to watch Billy Elliot - has been renovated from the ground up. It it is beautiful with the latest sound and lighting equipment. The seats were excellent - the place was packed - the crowd enthusiastic. 

Quick story - Alexander Hamilton - was born an orphaned  bastard on a Caribbean Island. He came to New York  City and went to Columbia University. He became an assistant to George Washington. After Washington was president it appeared Hamilton might be president. Jefferson's vice president was Aaron Burr. Hamilton was Secretary of the Treasury. Burr and Hamilton had a love/hate relationship. Hamilton wrote stuff about Burr - Burr challenged him to a duel. The Vice President shot and killed the former Treasury Secretary. The devil is in the details. 

I am not a play critic. I am a 70 year old retired school teacher. I am just happy to march around with Lulu on my arm. People think it is a father and daughter date. She wanted to see the show - so I wanted to see the show. After 53 days in Europe thanks to her - no complaints here. My biggest fear was high ticket prices - that was over with now. 

I am near-sighted and hard of hearing. I like to sit in the front row for everything. When I was in school - I always sat up front - maybe to entertain - but I was up there. So I had trouble reading the faces. Some of the characters - like Aaron Burr - was very clear to me. Others were not as good. I love the guy that played George III. He did gay it up a bit - but it was especially funny seeing all the Brits laughing at their former king. The whole idea of the Brits even wanting to see all this was strange to me. Still - they are selling the place out at 200 pounds a seat. 

Lulu loved seeing it. After the play - we caught the same Tube - and went home.

On the way home - we heard the bad news that England lost the soccer match. It has been 60 years since they were in the final 4. Two guys got in a tussle on the subway right in front of us. It got tense when a white guy in a red shirt said to an eastern European guy - Where the hell is Croatia anyway?

People jumped in and stopped the action. No one was hurt. Lulu was stepping over feet :-)

Hamilton is a very nice play. I amazed that this story has not been highlighted more in the past. It took a bunch of hip hop singers and dancers in wonderful costumes to bring it all back to life. My niece wrote to tell me how much her step-daughter loves this. She knows every line of every song. I would probably enjoy it if I knew the music before hand. 

You all know how much we like the play Billy Elliot. But that is a story of a kid trying to escape the Coal Regions by learning ballet. It is set in Northern England in a town like my hometown of Tamaqua PA. There are lots of parallels between the play and our family. 

If I had to rank Hamilton - I would give it 4 out of 5 stars - but who am I to question a Pulitzer Prize. I just wonder how long they can sustain the 200 pound ticket price. 

For years - we have been sitting in the front row of Billy Elliot for 20 pounds. Someday - we may do the same for Hamilton. 

They were really touchy about pictures.
I sneaked the curtain call.

This was the subway - right before the soccer fight.

Keith made us Pimms before the show.
Our friend Jean and Bill like to stay
in the hotel out back.
They take drink pictures too.

Upstairs in the Bag O Nails. 

Early soccer crowd. 

No scenery changes

Renovated Victoria Palace

View from our seats.

Lots of new lights and speakers