So in my last post I talked about "The Room Where it Happens" and how it played into Burr's character arc. One thing about that song that I didn't mention is something that it does more than any other song in the show, which is play with the idea of unreliable narrators. Most of the song is sung from Burr's perspective, but as he said, he is never really sure what went on in the room, as he wasn't there. So how can we trust what he's saying? Most of it we simply have to take on faith, much as Burr himself is doing about the results of the dinner party.
There are a few bits of the song that aren't sung by Burr, however. Jefferson, Madison, and Hamilton- the three men in the room making the decisions- all get a go at telling part of the story. But we're never entirely sure if we can believe what they're saying either. Each of Jefferson's phrases is proceeded by Burr and the chorus introducing them with "Thomas claims." The use of the word "claim" here is very eyebrow-raising, to say the least- it doesn't lend a whole lot of credibility to the things that Jefferson is saying. The same goes for Madison and Hamilton, if a bit less directly. We have to take it on faith that the things they're telling us about the goings-on at the dinner party are actually true, and not just their twisted interpretation of the events that unfolded.
And this reflects the entire central idea of the song. No one can really be positive if something was true unless they witness it firsthand- an idea that Burr conveys through about fifty different metaphors. And as I mentioned in my other post, this largely informs Burr's character going forward, almost to an unhealthy amount. In "Your Obedient Servant," he menacingly sings to/about Hamilton, "You've kept me from the room where it happens for the last time." Burr wants to know what happens when decisions are made- or, more accurately, he wants a hand in making those decisions. This fuels him for the entire second act, up to and including his killing of Alexander.
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
Sunday, September 18, 2016
"The Room Where it Happens-" What does Burr stand for?
Aaron Burr has two songs in the show that serve as major character moments, one in the middle of each act. Act One's piece is "Wait For It," a song about legacy (I know, right), controlling your fate, and perseverance in the face of opposition. Act Two's number is the one I want to focus on, however- "The Room Where it Happens." [Quick aside- Miranda has claimed that these are the two songs that he is proudest of in the show.]
Throughout the musical, Aaron Burr has been singled out for not having anything to stand for. This theme is first introduced in "Aaron Burr, Sir" with Hamilton's line, "If you stand for nothing, Burr, what'll you fall for?" which, not-so-coincidentally, echoes a famous quote often attributed to the real life Alexander Hamilton, "Those who stand for nothing fall for anything." The implication here is that Burr is weak-willed and has no cause to stand behind. This ideal is reinforced throughout the rest of the show, most memorably in "Non-Stop," when Hamilton asks Burr, "We won the war, what was it all for?" and telling him "For once in your life, take a stand with pride." Hamilton is challenging Burr's whole sense of being here, driving him to action in Act Two.
"The Room Where it Happens" is where all this comes to a head. The song recounts the Dinner Table Bargain of 1790, in which Hamilton, Jefferson, and Madison made a deal involving the location of the United States capital, as well as other private political matters. The crux of the number, as repeated by Burr and the company in the chorus, is that the only people who really knew what happened at the Bargain are the men in the room. Burr uses this as a larger metaphor for politics, at the end revealing that his driving force and motive is to "be in the room where it happens."
And this is where Burr starts to make his transformation from ally to enemy of Hamilton. His motives are selfish, (seemingly) only wishing for power and not caring for much else. In the next brief number, "Schuyler Defeated," it is revealed that Burr was elected to the Senate after changing parties, taking the seat of Angelica and Eliza's father- Hamilton's father-in-law- Philip Schuyler. Hamilton confronts Burr about this, who claims he's only doing what's best for himself, and that Hamilton is being too proud. Even though, as he states, he has no intention of explicitly ending his friendship with Alexander, he is taking charge of his own fate- a theme from Burr's first number, "Wait For It."
The more you read into this show, the more it becomes clear that Miranda is a genius. Everything in this show has a purpose, and nothing happens without a reason, however clear or unclear that reason may be.
Throughout the musical, Aaron Burr has been singled out for not having anything to stand for. This theme is first introduced in "Aaron Burr, Sir" with Hamilton's line, "If you stand for nothing, Burr, what'll you fall for?" which, not-so-coincidentally, echoes a famous quote often attributed to the real life Alexander Hamilton, "Those who stand for nothing fall for anything." The implication here is that Burr is weak-willed and has no cause to stand behind. This ideal is reinforced throughout the rest of the show, most memorably in "Non-Stop," when Hamilton asks Burr, "We won the war, what was it all for?" and telling him "For once in your life, take a stand with pride." Hamilton is challenging Burr's whole sense of being here, driving him to action in Act Two.
"The Room Where it Happens" is where all this comes to a head. The song recounts the Dinner Table Bargain of 1790, in which Hamilton, Jefferson, and Madison made a deal involving the location of the United States capital, as well as other private political matters. The crux of the number, as repeated by Burr and the company in the chorus, is that the only people who really knew what happened at the Bargain are the men in the room. Burr uses this as a larger metaphor for politics, at the end revealing that his driving force and motive is to "be in the room where it happens."
And this is where Burr starts to make his transformation from ally to enemy of Hamilton. His motives are selfish, (seemingly) only wishing for power and not caring for much else. In the next brief number, "Schuyler Defeated," it is revealed that Burr was elected to the Senate after changing parties, taking the seat of Angelica and Eliza's father- Hamilton's father-in-law- Philip Schuyler. Hamilton confronts Burr about this, who claims he's only doing what's best for himself, and that Hamilton is being too proud. Even though, as he states, he has no intention of explicitly ending his friendship with Alexander, he is taking charge of his own fate- a theme from Burr's first number, "Wait For It."
The more you read into this show, the more it becomes clear that Miranda is a genius. Everything in this show has a purpose, and nothing happens without a reason, however clear or unclear that reason may be.
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Hip Hop Culture and its Place in "Hamilton"
Hamilton is, as anyone who's listened to the soundtrack or knows anything about it is well aware of, a lot closer to something like a hip hop mixtape than a traditional Broadway musical soundtrack. Its score is full of beat drops, rap verses, and a load of homages to classic hip-hop culture. Lin-Manuel Miranda's lyrics reference Notorious BIG, DMX, LL Cool J, A Tribe Called Quest, and many more, as well as plenty of general homages to the culture in general.
Looking at his motivations for writing the score in this way, there could be many reasons for why he did this. A very simple one could be to stand out; for one thing, there have not been very many musicals with a hip-hop or rap influenced soundtrack, so Hamilton would be instantly unique in that regard. For another, more and more musicals these days are taking unique approaches with their music, from rock soundtracks like Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and The School of Rock, to more retro electronic vibes like the ones found in the recent American Psycho. More traditional musicals still have their place, but the scene is moving forward and many shows don't want to fade into obscurity.
Another reason, and one Miranda has gone on record expressing as one of his motives for giving the show its now-iconic modern hip hop vibe, is to reflect modern American culture. The subtitle of the show is "An American Musical," and that isn't simply because it's a story about our founding fathers. With its racially diverse cast, modern dance influences in the choreography, and hip hop music, Hamilton more than any other show on Broadway takes a clear expressed effort to showcase itself as a view of America today.
Looking at his motivations for writing the score in this way, there could be many reasons for why he did this. A very simple one could be to stand out; for one thing, there have not been very many musicals with a hip-hop or rap influenced soundtrack, so Hamilton would be instantly unique in that regard. For another, more and more musicals these days are taking unique approaches with their music, from rock soundtracks like Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and The School of Rock, to more retro electronic vibes like the ones found in the recent American Psycho. More traditional musicals still have their place, but the scene is moving forward and many shows don't want to fade into obscurity.
Another reason, and one Miranda has gone on record expressing as one of his motives for giving the show its now-iconic modern hip hop vibe, is to reflect modern American culture. The subtitle of the show is "An American Musical," and that isn't simply because it's a story about our founding fathers. With its racially diverse cast, modern dance influences in the choreography, and hip hop music, Hamilton more than any other show on Broadway takes a clear expressed effort to showcase itself as a view of America today.
Friday, September 16, 2016
Legacies
One of the major recurring themes throughout Hamilton is the discussion of legacy. Almost everyone is concerned with their legacy in one way or another, and major decisions made by characters are informed largely by this notion. Why has Miranda chosen legacy as such a prominent motif in his show? There could be a number of explanations.
For one thing, it makes sense for these characters as we know them. Hamilton has fought hard to get to the status he achieved, and he doesn't want that to go to waste; he wants his legacy to be a good one. Aaron Burr, over the years that we watch him, has fought time and time again to be in "the room where it happens;" and when he campaigns for President and finally becomes Vice President, he believes he has cemented his legacy, but he tarnishes it by killing Hamilton- the only thing he was ever really known for. George Washington enlists Hamilton to help him with his Farewell Address, making sure that his legacy as President was not of one who left to soon for no good reason.
And this seems like a fairly reasonable explanation, if not for the numerous other times in the show legacy was mentioned by or about other characters whose arcs were not resolved in a similar manor. In "The Room Where it Happens," Burr and Hamilton discuss the legacy of General Hugh Mercer. Eliza opines on the necessity of a legacy in her solo number "Burn." So what does this mean for the show?
Personally, I think it serves as meta-commentary. The legacy of these figures is all that we have over 200 years later, and anything we know about them is informed by their legacy. Aaron Burr's character arc ultimately culminates in his killing of Hamilton, even though he lived a life of his own. Granted, we do see it, just as we see more of Washington, Eliza, Hamilton, and all the others, than just the denouement of their respective life's stories- but this is what informs it. This is true for and any all biographies, fictionalized or real, for anyone throughout history. Anyone's story will be different if you're telling it after they have died, and since everyone in Hamilton is long gone, their legacies are all we really have.
For one thing, it makes sense for these characters as we know them. Hamilton has fought hard to get to the status he achieved, and he doesn't want that to go to waste; he wants his legacy to be a good one. Aaron Burr, over the years that we watch him, has fought time and time again to be in "the room where it happens;" and when he campaigns for President and finally becomes Vice President, he believes he has cemented his legacy, but he tarnishes it by killing Hamilton- the only thing he was ever really known for. George Washington enlists Hamilton to help him with his Farewell Address, making sure that his legacy as President was not of one who left to soon for no good reason.
And this seems like a fairly reasonable explanation, if not for the numerous other times in the show legacy was mentioned by or about other characters whose arcs were not resolved in a similar manor. In "The Room Where it Happens," Burr and Hamilton discuss the legacy of General Hugh Mercer. Eliza opines on the necessity of a legacy in her solo number "Burn." So what does this mean for the show?
Personally, I think it serves as meta-commentary. The legacy of these figures is all that we have over 200 years later, and anything we know about them is informed by their legacy. Aaron Burr's character arc ultimately culminates in his killing of Hamilton, even though he lived a life of his own. Granted, we do see it, just as we see more of Washington, Eliza, Hamilton, and all the others, than just the denouement of their respective life's stories- but this is what informs it. This is true for and any all biographies, fictionalized or real, for anyone throughout history. Anyone's story will be different if you're telling it after they have died, and since everyone in Hamilton is long gone, their legacies are all we really have.
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
"Alexander Hamilton:" Opening Numbers, Setting the Stage, and Demon Barbers
Our show begins with a number which draws its name both from the protagonist of the show, and the show's title. The stage is set by "Alexander Hamilton," a slow tempo yet still ever-driving number recounting Hamilton's life story up until he arrives in New York in 1776. We are introduced to the themes of the show and the traits of our main character, as well as the company of the show itself.
In his book Hamilton: The Revolution, Miranda cites the opening number from Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, which is entitled "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" as inspiration for this number. The songs have a lot in common; both feature short lines sung by the company about our main character and his life's story, setting the stage for our show to truly begin. Both songs feature motifs that reappear later in their respective shows a number of times. The similarities are so direct that for Broadway Cares' annual Easter Bonnet competition, the cast of Hamilton performed their opening number, with the lyrics altered to tell the story of Sweeney Todd.
Why is this how Miranda chooses to open his show? Why does he lift a number from another Broadway number, and why do one with such a unique format, as opposed to a simple standard opening number?
The answer is pretty simple, and can be summed up shortly: exposition.
Both Hamilton and Sweeney Todd are shows that follow a pretty consistent through-line; though there are time jumps in both, we always feel like we are seeing all of the story right in a row. And neither show wastes time getting into the story, either; we meet our characters and watch them interact from the word "go." And part of the reason this works so well is how their opening numbers set the stage. Exposition in other mediums like film can be tedious and forced, but with theatre, it gives you a chance to do something interesting. In both shows, the cast recounts the story of the protagonist before introducing them onto the scene. Also worth noting, Alexander and Sweeney respectively are the only cast members "in character" during this scene. Leslie Odom Jr. and Daveed Diggs aren't playing Burr or Lafayette, just as Angela Lansbury and Victor Garber weren't playing Mrs. Lovett or Anthony. They're acting as narrators setting the stage for our story to be told, and because we're immediately given so much information in such an engaging way, we aren't lost when the story and songs begin immediately afterwards. Time on stage is like property, and the more of it you waste, the less the audience is going to want to watch you. It's no coincidence that Sweeney Todd is revered as a classic, and I have no doubt Hamilton will be too.
In his book Hamilton: The Revolution, Miranda cites the opening number from Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, which is entitled "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd" as inspiration for this number. The songs have a lot in common; both feature short lines sung by the company about our main character and his life's story, setting the stage for our show to truly begin. Both songs feature motifs that reappear later in their respective shows a number of times. The similarities are so direct that for Broadway Cares' annual Easter Bonnet competition, the cast of Hamilton performed their opening number, with the lyrics altered to tell the story of Sweeney Todd.
Why is this how Miranda chooses to open his show? Why does he lift a number from another Broadway number, and why do one with such a unique format, as opposed to a simple standard opening number?
The answer is pretty simple, and can be summed up shortly: exposition.
Both Hamilton and Sweeney Todd are shows that follow a pretty consistent through-line; though there are time jumps in both, we always feel like we are seeing all of the story right in a row. And neither show wastes time getting into the story, either; we meet our characters and watch them interact from the word "go." And part of the reason this works so well is how their opening numbers set the stage. Exposition in other mediums like film can be tedious and forced, but with theatre, it gives you a chance to do something interesting. In both shows, the cast recounts the story of the protagonist before introducing them onto the scene. Also worth noting, Alexander and Sweeney respectively are the only cast members "in character" during this scene. Leslie Odom Jr. and Daveed Diggs aren't playing Burr or Lafayette, just as Angela Lansbury and Victor Garber weren't playing Mrs. Lovett or Anthony. They're acting as narrators setting the stage for our story to be told, and because we're immediately given so much information in such an engaging way, we aren't lost when the story and songs begin immediately afterwards. Time on stage is like property, and the more of it you waste, the less the audience is going to want to watch you. It's no coincidence that Sweeney Todd is revered as a classic, and I have no doubt Hamilton will be too.
Thursday, September 1, 2016
"I Am Not Throwing Away My Shot"
These lyrics are repeated in the show, by a conservative estimate, around five thousand times. If they appeared any more frequently, it would probably get really annoying and they would lose any impact that they held. Upon a first surface-level listening, one might wonder why this particular phrase is used with such frequency throughout this show. But I have listened to Hamilton (ballpark guess) 2 or 3 times all the way through, and many more times with various songs on shuffle. So I've had a chance to process and think about why Lin-Manuel Miranda loves this series of words so much.
Put very simply, "I am not throwing away my shot" (and the lyrics that follow) serve as Alexander Hamilton's theme. In lots of movies and musicals, certain characters have a musical or lyrical motif attached to them. In film, this may weave its way through the score during key scenes involving the character (such as the classic "Binary Sunset" in the original Star Wars, which serves as a theme of sorts for Luke Skywalker). In musicals, it's usually much more explicit; a certain melody or set of lyrics may be sung by a character during key plot moments, or may be sung or spoken to a character when a scene pertains to them. As you may have noticed, these are the exact sorts of ways that "My Shot" and its chorus are used for Hamilton. He sings or speaks excerpts from it more frequently than any other set of words or notes in the show (I'm pretty sure; I haven't done an exact count, but I'd be shocked if anything beat it besides maybe "Aaron Burr, Sir").
So why "My Shot?" Why doesn't Miranda choose something else for Hamilton's theme? I mean, "Alexander Hamilton," the first song of the show, bears his name, so why not that, for instance? As far as I can see, two reasons.
The first being how well "My Shot" and its lyrics serve as a mantra for Hamilton and everything he stands for. If he gets an opportunity, he's going to take it. Hamilton is, as he sings, just like America- "young, scrappy, and hungry." These lyrics specifically appear less as the show goes on; Hamilton, as he gets older, finds less shots to take and has settled into his career choices. The message doesn't go away completely however, as he tells various other characters, "do not throw away your shot."
The second meaning holds a lot more literal meaning. Two of the most crucial plot moments in the show, the deaths of Alexander's son Philip, as well as his own death, involve someone literally "throwing away their shot;" both Alexander and Philip aim their pistols at the sky in their respective duels, and are killed because of it. In "The World Was Wide Enough," Hamilton references it one last time (heh, see what I did there) in saying "If I throw away my shot, is this how you'll remember me?/ What if this bullet is my legacy?" (I'll probably do another post on legacy at some point as well). This is clearly a large internal debate for Hamilton, but in acting against the thing he's repeated throughout the show so frequently, it shows that he is willing to act even against his own wishes to do what's right.
Put very simply, "I am not throwing away my shot" (and the lyrics that follow) serve as Alexander Hamilton's theme. In lots of movies and musicals, certain characters have a musical or lyrical motif attached to them. In film, this may weave its way through the score during key scenes involving the character (such as the classic "Binary Sunset" in the original Star Wars, which serves as a theme of sorts for Luke Skywalker). In musicals, it's usually much more explicit; a certain melody or set of lyrics may be sung by a character during key plot moments, or may be sung or spoken to a character when a scene pertains to them. As you may have noticed, these are the exact sorts of ways that "My Shot" and its chorus are used for Hamilton. He sings or speaks excerpts from it more frequently than any other set of words or notes in the show (I'm pretty sure; I haven't done an exact count, but I'd be shocked if anything beat it besides maybe "Aaron Burr, Sir").
So why "My Shot?" Why doesn't Miranda choose something else for Hamilton's theme? I mean, "Alexander Hamilton," the first song of the show, bears his name, so why not that, for instance? As far as I can see, two reasons.
The first being how well "My Shot" and its lyrics serve as a mantra for Hamilton and everything he stands for. If he gets an opportunity, he's going to take it. Hamilton is, as he sings, just like America- "young, scrappy, and hungry." These lyrics specifically appear less as the show goes on; Hamilton, as he gets older, finds less shots to take and has settled into his career choices. The message doesn't go away completely however, as he tells various other characters, "do not throw away your shot."
The second meaning holds a lot more literal meaning. Two of the most crucial plot moments in the show, the deaths of Alexander's son Philip, as well as his own death, involve someone literally "throwing away their shot;" both Alexander and Philip aim their pistols at the sky in their respective duels, and are killed because of it. In "The World Was Wide Enough," Hamilton references it one last time (heh, see what I did there) in saying "If I throw away my shot, is this how you'll remember me?/ What if this bullet is my legacy?" (I'll probably do another post on legacy at some point as well). This is clearly a large internal debate for Hamilton, but in acting against the thing he's repeated throughout the show so frequently, it shows that he is willing to act even against his own wishes to do what's right.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)