Everything you need to know about ‘Hamilton’ in London

From Hamilton tickets to the latest West End cast, check out our complete guide to Lin-Manuel Miranda's award-winning musical, Hamilton, at the Victoria Palace Theatre.

Don't throw away your shot to see Hamilton at the Victoria Palace Theatre, one of the most popular musicals in a generation. The Pulitzer Prize-winning epic historical musical centres on Alexander Hamilton, a Founding Father and revolutionary whose ascension in the political sphere made waves around the world.

Making a global star out of its creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, as well as its original stars such as Leslie Odom Jr. and Daveed Diggs, the London production of Hamilton continues its recordbreaking trajectory. Hamilton will always be marked as one of the greatest musicals of all time. But, why?

Here's our complete guide to the West End production of Hamilton.

What is Hamilton about?

The eponymously-named musical follows an orphaned Alexander Hamilton who moves to New York in the hope of a better future. The first line foreshadows Hamilton's life, growing up to become "a hero and a scholar", but how did he do that? Meeting his future revolutionaries like Aaron Burr, Hercules Mulligan, and Marquis de Lafayette, Hamilton eventually becomes an instrumental part of reforming the United States forevermore, especially as George Washington's right-hand man.

Hamilton isn't just a military musical though. Audiences see him fall in love and eventually marry Elizabeth Schuyler, become a father, and find himself caught in the first romantic scandal recorded in American history. You'll want to join Hamilton and Burr though, as they tell "The Story of Tonight".

When did Hamilton premiere?

The Hamilton world premiere took place at the Public Theater, one of New York's leading off-Broadway theatres. Initially, the musical was scheduled from 20 Jan - 5 Apr. 2015, later extended by a month. But, audiences couldn't get enough of Hamilton and a Broadway transfer was imminent.

Hamilton began Broadway previews at the Richard Rodgers Theatre on 13 Jul. 2015, ahead of an official opening on 6 Aug. 2015. Hamilton continues to run at the Richard Rodgers Theatre since its Broadway opening.

The London production of Hamilton began previews at the Victoria Palace Theatre on 6 Dec. 2017, ahead of an official opening on 20 Dec. 2017. Hamilton also reopened the Victoria Palace, which was closed beforehand due to theatre renovations.

Who wrote Hamilton?

Hamilton features a book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Prior to this, he'd worked on musicals such as In the Heights and Bring It On, but Hamilton is his jewel in the crown. Away from the stage, he's also written music for the Disney film Moana, and starred in Mary Poppins Returns alongside Emily Blunt.

Who was in the original LondonHamilton cast?

The original London cast of Hamilton starred Jamael Westman in the lead role, who made his West End debut in the production. Giles Terera played Aaron Burr. Miriam-Teak Lee was in the show's original ensemble, and has since won an Olivier Award for her leading performance in & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre.

What theatre in London is Hamilton playing at?

Hamilton is currently playing at the Victoria Palace Theatre. Hamilton was the first show to open at the Victoria Palace Theatre since recent renovations. Previous shows at the Victoria Palace include Billy Elliot, which ran for over a decade.

What is the running time of Hamilton?

The running time of Hamilton in London is 2 hours and 45 minutes. During the show, there is a 15 minute interval.

What songs are in Hamilton?

Hamilton songs transcend the musical theatre world, becoming popular hits in their own right. Stand-out songs from the musical include "Wait For It" sung by Aaron Burr, Eliza's passionate ballad "Burn" and the company number "Non Stop".

Here's all the songs in Hamilton:

Act One

"Alexander Hamilton" - Burr, Laurens, Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton, Eliza, Washington, and Company
"Aaron Burr, Sir" - Hamilton, Burr, Laurens, Lafayette, and Mulligan, and Company
"My Shot" - Hamilton, Laurens, Lafayette, Mulligan, Burr, and Company
"The Story of Tonight" - Hamilton, Laurens, Mulligan, Lafayette, and Company
"The Schuyler Sisters" - Angelica, Eliza, Peggy, Burr, and Company
"Farmer Refuted" - Seabury, Hamilton, Burr, and Company
"You'll Be Back" - King George III and Company
"Right Hand Man" - Washington, Hamilton, Burr, and Company
"A Winter's Ball" - Burr, Hamilton, and Company
"Helpless" - Eliza and Company
"Satisfied" - Angelica and Company
"The Story of Tonight (Reprise)" - Laurens, Mulligan, Lafayette, Hamilton, and Burr
"Wait for It" - Burr and Company
"Stay Alive" - Hamilton, Washington, Laurens, Lafayette, Mulligan, Lee, Eliza, Angelica, and Company
"Ten Duel Commandments" - Laurens, Hamilton, Lee, Burr, and Company
"Meet Me Inside" - Hamilton, Burr, Laurens, Washington, and Company
"That Would Be Enough" - Eliza and Hamilton
"Guns and Ships" - Burr, Lafayette, Washington, and Company
"History Has Its Eyes on You" - Washington, Hamilton, and Company
"Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)" - Hamilton, Lafayette, Laurens, Mulligan, Washington, and Company
"What Comes Next?" - King George III
"Dear Theodosia" - Burr and Hamilton
"Non-Stop" - Burr, Hamilton, Angelica, Eliza, Washington, and Company

Act Two

"What'd I Miss?" - Jefferson, Burr, Madison, and Company
"Cabinet Battle #1" - Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, and Madison
"Take a Break" - Eliza, Philip, Hamilton, and Angelica
"Say No to This" - Maria Reynolds, Burr, Hamilton, James Reynolds, and Company
"The Room Where It Happens" - Burr, Hamilton, Jefferson, Madison, and Company
"Schuyler Defeated" - Philip, Eliza, Hamilton, and Burr
"Cabinet Battle #2" - Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton, and Madison
"Washington on Your Side" - Burr, Jefferson, Madison, and Company
"One Last Time" - Washington, Hamilton, and Company
"I Know Him" - King George III
"The Adams Administration" - Burr, Jefferson, Hamilton, Madison, and Company
"We Know" - Hamilton, Jefferson, Burr, and Madison
"Hurricane" - Hamilton and Company
"The Reynolds Pamphlet" - Jefferson, Madison, Burr, Hamilton, Angelica, James Reynolds, and Company
"Burn" - Eliza
"Blow Us All Away" - Philip, Martha, Dolley, Eacker, Hamilton, and Company
"Stay Alive (Reprise)" - Hamilton, Philip, Eliza, and Company
"It's Quiet Uptown" - Angelica, Hamilton, Eliza, and Company
"The Election of 1800" - Jefferson, Madison, Burr, Hamilton, and Company
"Your Obedient Servant" - Burr, Hamilton, and Company
"Best of Wives and Best of Women" - Eliza and Hamilton
"The World Was Wide Enough" - Burr, Hamilton, and Company
"Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story" - Eliza and Company

What awards has Hamilton won?

As well as impressing critics and the public, Hamilton wowed awarding bodies too. Here's all the major awards that global productions of Hamilton won.

Olivier Awards

Best New Musical
Outstanding Achievement in Music - Alex Lacamoire and Lin-Manuel Miranda
Best Actor in a Musical - Giles Terera
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical - Michael Jibson
Best Lighting Design - Howell Binkley
Best Sound Design - Nevin Steinberg
Best Theatre Choreographer - Andy Blankenbuehler

Tony Awards

Best Musical
Best Best Book of a Musical - Lin-Manuel Miranda
Best Original Score - Lin-Manuel Miranda
Best Actor in a Musical - Leslie Odom Jr.
Best Featured Actor in a Musical - Daveed Diggs
Best Featured Actress in a Musical - Renee Elise Goldsberry
Best Costume Design of a Musical - Paul Tazewell
Best Lighting Design of a Musical - Howell Binkley
Best Direction of a Musical - Thomas Kail
Best Choreography - Andy Blankenbuehler
Best Orchestrations - Alex Lacamoire

What are some fun facts about Hamilton?

• After the musical's global success, the Hamilton Mixtapes were released, an album of Hamilton covers from stars including Sia, Queen Latifah and Usher.
• Hamilton was released on Disney+ in July 2020, starring the original Broadway cast including Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jonathan Groff.
• The rap in "Guns and Ships" is considered to be the fastest song in musical theatre, with an average of six words a second.

Photo credit: Original London cast of Hamilton (Photo courtesy of Hamilton)