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?