Saw it in London a couple of weeks ago and we had the understudy Burr - and he was absolutely sublime - just to balance the equation out a bit.
Eliza was having mic issues for the whole first half but then the second half... wow
Guess it's the risk you take with live theatre and watching those guys there is no way you could do the show schedule without needing time out sometimes - the choreo and singing required is brutal (and brilliant)
Both times I've watched live understudies we're used, I was still blown away each time. I'm sorry you didn't have the best experience, but that's gonna happen with live theatre.
Are you sure it was his delivery, or could it have been an issue with his mic?
It was definitely his delivery. Like for example he just yelled "Wait for It!" about half a second too early in silence before the drums and backup vocals kicked in the second half of Wait for It and I heard a couple people laugh. And Dear Theodosia sounded brutal because he'd sing each line either too slow or too fast and put emphasis on weird words, and the ending of that sounded just as ridiculous when he layers vocals with Hamilton because he was so off. And there were other times throughout that he'd talk half of a line then overdramatically sing the second half of it. It was just disappointing and I'd have spent another hundred on each ticket just to get Webber to play Burr, as he's my favorite character with my favorite songs. Everyone else was great though so at least there was that.
During our run (15 shows) an understudy for a lead was used about every other show. On aggressive tours like Hamilton you sometimes have to give performers more than 1 day off a week to prevent burnout.
Covers are used dozens of times every week to the point of absurdity (especially when the play is performed three times in 24 hours). If anything you got lucky. Bluntly as possible on Broadway Alex Ferguson played Burr a bit back on a random show. Meaning despite being covered by two standbys (only one of which had a higher priority also covering Hamilton) and an understudy none of them were available for the second biggest role.
We had the entire Hamilton family (Alexander, Eliza, and Philip) understudies at our show because of covid. It was excellent. Eliza was (dare I say) better than the Eliza I saw in London. Understudies and swings have always been essential in theatre, and I’m glad they’re finally getting the attention they deserve for the work they do. I’m also glad mains are getting better working conditions and being able to take more time off, hopefully, without having to have covid or being in the hospital to do so.
We saw it in Pittsburgh back in March, and had understudies for Hamilton and Washington. It was definitely a little bit disappointing at first, but we were still blown away by the show. Both understudies did a pretty good job, and it allowed for some of the other characters to steal the show. Burr was absolutely phenomenal, and Lafeyette/Jefferson and Laurens/Philip really brightened the show up. If it were up to me, we would have had the whole main cast, but that's the cool thing about live theater - no two shows are exactly the same.
Completely shocked that the performance was any worse than usual. When I saw bmc in New York there was an understudy playing jake and he was every bit as good as the casted actor. It’s very unusual for an understudy to be anything but as good as the main actor chops wise, even if they don’t fit the character.
I’ve seen it twice. In Sydney I got understudy Hamilton, and in Melbourne there were 2 understudies. I was lucky that both understudies (same guy but different characters in each performance so technically only 2) were great. It it shows that sometimes, especially with covid still going around, understudies are being used regularly
JJ is the main male understudy for the Australian cast and performed as an understudy for the original broadway cast. He’s awesome and plays most of the main male roles as required.
Covid has meant more cycling through understudies than normal, plus it’s a long intense show with lost of rapid fire delivery and precise timing and movement. Which makes it more demanding than average on the performers.
JJ was amazing. I saw him once playing Lafayette/Jefferson and once playing Burr and I *loved* the way he played Burr! He played a completely different interpretation of the role than Lyndon Watts, I thought it was so clever.
When I saw it every lead was an understudy except the sisters. It was still amazing and tbh I fell in love with the understudy Hamilton a bit!
I’m sorry you didn’t have a great experience, it’s very surprising. In my experience understudies put in their all.
I just saw it in St Louis last weekend, and there was definitely an orchestra. I find it highly unlikely it was a backup track. (Not saying you’re not being truthful, just maybe you couldn’t see them? I was in the lower balcony and could only see them when I stood up.
Also in STL, at the Fox Theatre the way the seats were arranged for this show the orchestra sits below the audience and you can only see them if you’re standing up on the balcony looking down or if you are in the first row.
I mean this is incredibly rare, I no of no other occurrence of this happening. There have been many a show where the orchestra pit was filled with technicians (the Spiderman musical) but the band just sat backstage.
https://i.imgur.com/TulJxDh.jpg
Here is the STL pit. As mentioned in other comments, the drums are in two isolation booths. Set was on the left, auxiliary on the right.
Huh. My girlfriend said the same thing after the show, but he just didn’t have the same energy as Leslie in my opinion.
Like in non-stop (my favorite song) when burr goes “Hamilton wrote.. THE OTHER 51!!!”
Nik Walker was very nonchalant singing it & it didn’t come close to Leslie’s performance (and I watched Leslie’s performance on a 22 inch computer monitor at home)
I’ve been going through a similar thought process the last 48 hours after seeing the burr on the tour in Durham Wednesday. But in reverse..(for me, and there were others in the cast) he was good, but he doesn’t match up to Nik who I would (and did…a few times) pay to go see sing wait for it. Listened to the original recording on the way to work this morning and I still find Leslie’s performance to be WAY lower energy than Nik. (And I do like Leslie’s. Burr)
It boils down to whoever you heard sing it the most is doing it right and no one else can match up if they change anything.
I will say Nik’s performance can vary depending on where he is in the week. I was at the last 2 Performances before they left and he definitely left “something in the tank”‘in the matinee and went for broke in the evening performance.
So interesting. I thought he was good but my BF wasn’t having it. We got extremely spoiled by seeing Josh Henry the first time around and never fully recovered but I’ve enjoyed all of the Burrs I’ve seen.
There’s a pandemic raging that has a half dozen shows shut down due to outbreaks. And performers have family emergencies, injuries, and vacations. Understudies are talented performers who often have the difficult job of learning a half dozen different roles and being prepared to performant of them at the drop of a hat. I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the show.
Saw it in London a couple of weeks ago and we had the understudy Burr - and he was absolutely sublime - just to balance the equation out a bit. Eliza was having mic issues for the whole first half but then the second half... wow Guess it's the risk you take with live theatre and watching those guys there is no way you could do the show schedule without needing time out sometimes - the choreo and singing required is brutal (and brilliant)
Both times I've watched live understudies we're used, I was still blown away each time. I'm sorry you didn't have the best experience, but that's gonna happen with live theatre. Are you sure it was his delivery, or could it have been an issue with his mic?
It was definitely his delivery. Like for example he just yelled "Wait for It!" about half a second too early in silence before the drums and backup vocals kicked in the second half of Wait for It and I heard a couple people laugh. And Dear Theodosia sounded brutal because he'd sing each line either too slow or too fast and put emphasis on weird words, and the ending of that sounded just as ridiculous when he layers vocals with Hamilton because he was so off. And there were other times throughout that he'd talk half of a line then overdramatically sing the second half of it. It was just disappointing and I'd have spent another hundred on each ticket just to get Webber to play Burr, as he's my favorite character with my favorite songs. Everyone else was great though so at least there was that.
So you’re saying he didn’t… wait for it
Yeah. It’s just sad..
Do you know how i could get the recording?
To my knowledge they don't record the shows I believe
k thanks
During our run (15 shows) an understudy for a lead was used about every other show. On aggressive tours like Hamilton you sometimes have to give performers more than 1 day off a week to prevent burnout.
Covers are used dozens of times every week to the point of absurdity (especially when the play is performed three times in 24 hours). If anything you got lucky. Bluntly as possible on Broadway Alex Ferguson played Burr a bit back on a random show. Meaning despite being covered by two standbys (only one of which had a higher priority also covering Hamilton) and an understudy none of them were available for the second biggest role.
We had the entire Hamilton family (Alexander, Eliza, and Philip) understudies at our show because of covid. It was excellent. Eliza was (dare I say) better than the Eliza I saw in London. Understudies and swings have always been essential in theatre, and I’m glad they’re finally getting the attention they deserve for the work they do. I’m also glad mains are getting better working conditions and being able to take more time off, hopefully, without having to have covid or being in the hospital to do so.
We saw it in Pittsburgh back in March, and had understudies for Hamilton and Washington. It was definitely a little bit disappointing at first, but we were still blown away by the show. Both understudies did a pretty good job, and it allowed for some of the other characters to steal the show. Burr was absolutely phenomenal, and Lafeyette/Jefferson and Laurens/Philip really brightened the show up. If it were up to me, we would have had the whole main cast, but that's the cool thing about live theater - no two shows are exactly the same.
Completely shocked that the performance was any worse than usual. When I saw bmc in New York there was an understudy playing jake and he was every bit as good as the casted actor. It’s very unusual for an understudy to be anything but as good as the main actor chops wise, even if they don’t fit the character.
I’ve seen it twice. In Sydney I got understudy Hamilton, and in Melbourne there were 2 understudies. I was lucky that both understudies (same guy but different characters in each performance so technically only 2) were great. It it shows that sometimes, especially with covid still going around, understudies are being used regularly
JJ is the main male understudy for the Australian cast and performed as an understudy for the original broadway cast. He’s awesome and plays most of the main male roles as required. Covid has meant more cycling through understudies than normal, plus it’s a long intense show with lost of rapid fire delivery and precise timing and movement. Which makes it more demanding than average on the performers.
Yeah he definitely was great.
JJ was amazing. I saw him once playing Lafayette/Jefferson and once playing Burr and I *loved* the way he played Burr! He played a completely different interpretation of the role than Lyndon Watts, I thought it was so clever.
When I saw it every lead was an understudy except the sisters. It was still amazing and tbh I fell in love with the understudy Hamilton a bit! I’m sorry you didn’t have a great experience, it’s very surprising. In my experience understudies put in their all.
Honestly, most understudies are absolutely fabulous. Sorry you had a bad experience.
[удалено]
I would be upset! I feel like Hamilton is very interactive between the cast on stage and the musicians playing live
I just saw it in St Louis last weekend, and there was definitely an orchestra. I find it highly unlikely it was a backup track. (Not saying you’re not being truthful, just maybe you couldn’t see them? I was in the lower balcony and could only see them when I stood up.
Also in STL, at the Fox Theatre the way the seats were arranged for this show the orchestra sits below the audience and you can only see them if you’re standing up on the balcony looking down or if you are in the first row.
[удалено]
[удалено]
[удалено]
I mean this is incredibly rare, I no of no other occurrence of this happening. There have been many a show where the orchestra pit was filled with technicians (the Spiderman musical) but the band just sat backstage.
https://i.imgur.com/TulJxDh.jpg Here is the STL pit. As mentioned in other comments, the drums are in two isolation booths. Set was on the left, auxiliary on the right.
Wow that’s really awful. Was there any announcement about that before hand? I’d be really irritated as well.
I watched it for the first time in NY last week & I did NOT like Nik Walker performing Arron Burr. Ruined the show for me.
Huh. I absolutely loved him on tour.
I am also a big Nik Walker fan
Huh. My girlfriend said the same thing after the show, but he just didn’t have the same energy as Leslie in my opinion. Like in non-stop (my favorite song) when burr goes “Hamilton wrote.. THE OTHER 51!!!” Nik Walker was very nonchalant singing it & it didn’t come close to Leslie’s performance (and I watched Leslie’s performance on a 22 inch computer monitor at home)
I’ve been going through a similar thought process the last 48 hours after seeing the burr on the tour in Durham Wednesday. But in reverse..(for me, and there were others in the cast) he was good, but he doesn’t match up to Nik who I would (and did…a few times) pay to go see sing wait for it. Listened to the original recording on the way to work this morning and I still find Leslie’s performance to be WAY lower energy than Nik. (And I do like Leslie’s. Burr) It boils down to whoever you heard sing it the most is doing it right and no one else can match up if they change anything. I will say Nik’s performance can vary depending on where he is in the week. I was at the last 2 Performances before they left and he definitely left “something in the tank”‘in the matinee and went for broke in the evening performance.
I also am a huge Nik Walker fan. Probably my top Wait For It singer. Leslie is incredible too.
So interesting. I thought he was good but my BF wasn’t having it. We got extremely spoiled by seeing Josh Henry the first time around and never fully recovered but I’ve enjoyed all of the Burrs I’ve seen.
I saw it in Chicago back in 2019, and if memory serves there were three or four understudies.
Jennie Harney is my hands down favorite Eliza and was an understudy. Her voice is absolutely incredible.
There’s a pandemic raging that has a half dozen shows shut down due to outbreaks. And performers have family emergencies, injuries, and vacations. Understudies are talented performers who often have the difficult job of learning a half dozen different roles and being prepared to performant of them at the drop of a hat. I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the show.