Hamilton, the smash hit musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda, took the world by storm when it premiered on Broadway in 2015. With its infectious melodies, brilliant lyrics, and diverse casting telling the story of America’s Founding Fathers, Hamilton became a cultural phenomenon that earned immense critical acclaim and won 11 Tony Awards along with the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Naturally, as the show continued its open-ended Broadway run, fans around the world were eager to know – will Hamilton ever tour the UK?
When did Hamilton start touring?
Given the unprecedented demand to see Hamilton on stage, the producers did not take long to capitalize on the show’s popularity. The first national tour of Hamilton kicked off in March 2017 starting in San Francisco before crisscrossing the United States and Canada. The touring production featured the same book, music, and lyrics as the Broadway version with mostly new cast members in the roles. It was a massive success, consistently playing to sold-out houses.
In December 2017, a second touring company was launched in Seattle to bring Hamilton to even more cities concurrently. Further productions also opened in Chicago in September 2016, London’s West End in December 2017, and in Germany starting in Hamburg in October 2021 with performances sung completely in German.
Original Broadway Cast Performances
In addition to the touring productions, Hamilton’s original Broadway cast also reprised select performances of the show in Los Angeles and Chicago in 2016 prior to the respective launches of the sit-down and first touring productions in those cities. This allowed audiences in LA and Chicago to experience Hamilton with its Tony-winning original stars like Lin-Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton, Leslie Odom Jr. as Aaron Burr, Daveed Diggs as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson, Renée Elise Goldsberry as Angelica Schuyler, and more.
When did Hamilton start touring the UK?
After firmly establishing itself as a phenomenon across North America, the next natural frontier for Hamilton was to cross the pond and launch a sit-down production in London’s West End. On December 21, 2017, Hamilton opened at the refurbished Victoria Palace Theatre in the heart of London’s theater district.
The principal cast featured Jamael Westman in the title role of Alexander Hamilton, with Tarinn Callender as Burr, Jason Pennycooke as Lafayette/Jefferson, and more. Lin-Manuel Miranda and the rest of the creative team oversaw the production to ensure it maintained the essence of the original Broadway staging.
Reviews for the West End production were glowing, with critics praising the energetic performances and dynamic staging. Demand from audiences to get tickets was sky-high, in line with the show’s popularity on Broadway. It rapidly became one of the hottest tickets in London.
UK Tour
On the heels of the successful West End mounting, Hamilton embarked on its first UK tour which kicked off in Manchester in February 2020. The touring production retained the principal West End cast including Karl Queensborough as Alexander Hamilton.
The UK tour marked the first time that audiences outside of London could experience Hamilton live on stage. It visited major cities like Birmingham, Edinburgh, Sheffield and more. However, after a few weeks the tour was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and eventually cancelled entirely.
When will Hamilton tour the UK again?
After the false start of the 2020 UK tour, producers were eager to remount a new tour as soon as feasible once theatres reopened post-pandemic. In May 2021, it was announced that a new Hamilton tour across the UK and Ireland would commence performances in November 2021 through June 2022.
The tour launched at the Manchester Opera House before circling through the UK hitting cities like Dublin, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Birmingham and more. The Hamilton tour features an all British cast led by Joel Montague as Alexander Hamilton. As with previous productions, it features the same award-winning book, score and choreography that captivated audiences in New York and London.
Due to the ongoing public appetite for Hamilton in the UK, the tour has been extended multiple times. It is now scheduled to continue performances through August 2023 covering additional cities like Bradford, Canterbury and more. Therefore if you live somewhere in the UK or Ireland, Hamilton is likely coming to a theater near you sometime soon!
Future UK Tours
Given the consistently massive popularity of Hamilton across the UK, it is almost certain that there will be additional tours mounted in the coming years after the current tour completes its run in 2023. Theatre producers will be eager to continue bringing Hamilton to as much of the lucrative UK theatre market as possible.
Smaller cities and towns that have not yet hosted Hamilton can likely expect a future tour stopping through in the next few years. For superfans who can’t bear to stop seeing the show live, periodic UK tours look set to provide the opportunity to revisit the revolutionary musical well into the future.
Is Hamilton touring Europe?
In addition to productions across North America and the UK, Hamilton has continued making its global mark with professional productions in Europe as well. Here is a look at where you can catch Hamilton on tour across Europe:
- Germany: After the smash hit German language production in Hamburg, a second German production launched in Stuttgart in March 2022. Further productions in German are likely to mount in other German cities in the coming years.
- Spain: A Spanish language staging premiered in Madrid in October 2021 and is still running at the EDP Gran Via Theatre.
- The Netherlands: Hamilton will have its Dutch language world premiere in Amsterdam at the Beatrix Theater in March 2023.
Beyond the above, Hamilton is also being translated into Swedish for its Scandinavian premiere slated for 2023 in Stockholm. Given the show’s immense appeal, more European productions are expected to be confirmed soon including Hamilton’s first Paris staging. No matter what language, European audiences are proving to be as hungry for Hamilton as those in English-speaking countries.
When is Hamilton touring Australia?
Hamilton took slightly longer to reach Australia compared to Europe, but the show is now firmly planted Down Under. An Australian production opened at Sydney’s Lyric Theatre in March 2021 featuring local talent led by Jason Arrow as Alexander Hamilton.
After its Sydney run, Hamilton transferred to Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre in July 2022 where it continues performing today. Additionally, a separate Australian touring company launched in February 2022 starting in Brisbane. This production is crisscrossing the country hitting cities like Perth, Adelaide, Canberra and more through the end of 2023.
If you live in Australia and missed out on earlier tour stops, keep your eyes peeled for additional Australian touring legs soon that are likely to reach additional cities beyond the largest metro areas. Hamilton fever has firmly swept Australia so recurring future tours look assured.
Is Hamilton touring Asia or South America?
Hamilton has already conquered North America, Europe, and Australia, leaving two whole continents still untapped. While there is enormous potential for Hamilton to find success in Asia and South America down the line, no professional production has been confirmed yet in either region.
However, given Hamilton’s proven global appeal that has resonated with audiences regardless of language and culture, it is almost inevitable that productions will be mounted before too long in major hubs across Asia and South America. Just as translators have adapted the libretto masterfully into other languages, Hamilton can resonate on stage in many other cultures worldwide.
Some potential landing spots for future Hamilton productions include Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, and more. Don’t be surprised when Hamilton announcements begin rolling out across these regions within the next few years!
Conclusion
Hamilton’s astonishing rise from a scrappy off-Broadway production to a worldwide theatrical phenomenon has been something to behold. While the show continues its indefinite open-ended run on Broadway, professional productions have now opened across North America, Europe, and Australia allowing audiences far and wide to experience the revolutionary musical.
In the UK specifically, Hamilton is reaching more cities than ever on the current UK tour slated to play through 2023. And given the insatiable public demand, additional tours are assured in future years covering more British cities and towns. European productions are multiplying rapidly as well in Germany, Spain, The Netherlands, and Sweden so far.
Though Asia and South America have yet to host Hamilton productions, it is only a matter of time given the show’s immense global appeal. No matter what language or culture, Hamilton’s story of tenacious underdogs rising up to achieve greatness resonates universally. So for theater lovers around the world hungry for Hamilton, just you wait – the show is likely coming your way sooner than you think!