I know this because I saw it in New York two years ago, just before Britain’s EU referendum. And I was struck by the way it captured — not always intentionally, I suspect, given the impeccable liberal credentials of the cast and writers — the political mood in America and over here: revolution, uncertainty, unrest, the falling of old orders and rising of new.
In particular, it’s the inspiring story of a nation full of talent and fizzing with energy that’s shackled to a greedy, unelected elite across the sea; belittled and derided by self-appointed rulers, yet willing nonetheless to take a risk in the name of freedom and self-determination. America, 1776 — or Brexit Britain, 2016?
That said, among the standout features are the Thomas Jefferson vs Alexander Hamilton rap battles, conducted with machine-gun speed and precision. I can’t help thinking the modern equivalent — British minister David Davis vs boring EU bureaucrat Michel Barnier — might not quicken the pulse so effectively.
