DBWI: Just Saw Lin-Manuel's Miranda's Napoleon

And yes, it did cost me an arm and a bloody leg before you ask. Still, after all the hype and awards over the last few years, I thought I should at least check it out since the opportunity to see the show finally came up. Despite the worries though, it turned out to be a really good show all in all. People say that the West End cast don't match the originals, but they're all still top notch performers.

Historically though, I can see where the criticisms come in alright. One of the most notable (If minor) being Napoleon actually meeting all the Marshalls at around the same time of the Revolution. Then you have the entirely fabricated friendship between Napoleon and Wellington from time studying together in France that structures the entire musical with a rivalry that honestly didn't exist to the same degree in history, if at all. Granted, the Act One Finale, Non-Stop, showcasing the Battles of Austerlitz and Vimeiro does offer a nice contrast to both men at this point in their lives and how they feel they both had to continue fighting, even if the battles happened some years apart, historically.

The characters involved don't always match their historical personality as well as the events having been merged or mixed up a bit, but it does work well to make a good story. There's some great songs involved and the three featuring Tsar Alexander were a comedic highlight.

For those who've seen the musical, what did you think about it? Were the historical accuracies acceptable, or should the thing have been set to a more correct version of history?
 
I haven't seen the musical, but I've read a lot about it and heard some of the songs. I was really surprised when I first heard how Miranda played up Napoleon's status as a Corsican immigrant, but now that I've read more about how primitive and undeveloped Corsica was considered at the time, it makes a whole lot of sense. I wonder how much that actually played into Napoleon's historical personality, even. The callbacks from Elba during "Able Was I" are beautifully done.

Great and chilling winter theme, too.
 
The Wellington thing annoyed me too, especially as a Russian (if they wanted a relationship with the archenemy why not go for Alexander, or even Charles?) but of course I think it's well done, especially the songs towards the end about Napoleon II. And hey, Tsar Nicholas III liked it despite the 1812 segment, so who am I, his loyal subject, to contradict that?

By the way, apparently Miranda was planning to do one about Alexander Hamilton, but didn't because Hamilton's reputation is too tarnished by his association to... well, we all know what. I wonder how that would have played out?
 
Can imagine it would probably succeed just as well. If Lin can make a musical about not wanting to leave his home, he could have made Alexander Hamilton a sympathetic man.
 
The Wellington thing annoyed me too, especially as a Russian (if they wanted a relationship with the archenemy why not go for Alexander, or even Charles?) but of course I think it's well done, especially the songs towards the end about Napoleon II.

I think it was because they wanted to play up the similarities with a rival. Wellington, being an outsider to his own society due to his Irish roots, as well as rising through the ranks in different ways, helped offer a contrast and gave each other more of a rival that was an equal, of sorts. Wellington's song, Wait For It, helps emphasise this as it shows Napoleon crowning himself Emperor while Wellington himself is far more obscure to his school rival.
 
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