# London production of Hamilton translates into 7 Olivier Awards **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2018, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079 "2018-04-09T13:31:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/1 "2018-04-09T13:31:11Z")
For those of you not up on theatre vernacular, the Lawrence Olivier Awardss are for the best in London theatre (the equivalent of our Tonys). "Translate means "How well will it do outside of Broadway? Rent didn’t translate well, Avenue Q did. It’s a tough concept, and nobody knows what will work and where. But Hamilton, the musical Andrew Lloyd Webber described as "about a founding father of American nobody ever heard of, done in hip hop style,got 7 Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical. So there! ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/2 "2018-04-09T13:53:16Z")
I liked it. “No one heard of” seems off given that the guy is on our $10 bills but I agree that few people knew anything about him whereas most people could rattle off a factoid or two about Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and other money-dudes. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/3 "2018-04-09T14:04:29Z")
So London audiences don’t mind seeing George III presented as a supercilious fop. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/4 "2018-04-09T14:37:25Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > So London audiences don’t mind seeing George III presented as a supercilious fop. It’s always wise to give the audience a character they can identify with. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/5 "2018-04-09T14:57:36Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > So London audiences don’t mind seeing George III presented as a supercilious fop. I don’t think the Hanoverians in general are the most popular set of monarchs. And this is the same play that refers to John Adams as “a fat motherfucker” and dresses up Thomas Jefferson as a pimp. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/6 "2018-04-09T16:29:01Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > I don’t think the Hanoverians in general are the most popular set of monarchs. And this is the same play that refers to John Adams as “a fat motherfucker” and dresses up Thomas Jefferson as a pimp. I just don’t think we give a toss really - we like making fools of politicians and royals. And we don’t have any particular opinion about George III - I get the impression he looms much larger for Americans than for Brits. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2018, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/7 "2018-04-09T23:23:11Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > I just don’t think we give a toss really - we like making fools of politicians and royals. And we don’t have any particular opinion about George III - I get the impression he looms much larger for Americans than for Brits. Yeah, as I was writing that I was having a hard time coming up with beloved British monarchs of the past that the Brits might take offense at poking fun at. Poking fun at monarchs is a traditional British hobby. And he doesn’t loom very large for Americans either. To give an example - in my daughters AP US History class (a high school class where you can get college credit) one of the girls said “I don’t care about this George guy, this is AMERICAN History.” It had to be explained to her that if one was asked to answer questions or write an essay on the American Revolution, that George guy might come up. Most Americans would be lucky to name George, much less put the correct number of Is after his name. You all aren’t nearly as upset about losing that war as we are exited about having won it, either. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/8 "2018-04-10T00:20:40Z")
tbh, people will be interested in the music and production. They tend to learn history from elsewhere. The Olivers are major awards - live on national tv last night. I booked to see The Ferryman today (for next Monday). You can catch some highlight here: [Olivier Awards 2018: What we learned at the ceremony - BBC News](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-43694053) ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/9 "2018-04-10T01:49:27Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > But Hamilton, the musical Andrew Lloyd Webber described as "about a founding father of American nobody ever heard of, done in hip hop style,got 7 Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical. So there! I had to come back to this because it so echos social media offenderati. Lloyd Webber is a little dry in his humour. It may be easy to find offence in 240 characters. I suspect he was drawing on his early experiences developing a story about Evita Peron ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/10 "2018-04-10T08:21:15Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > So London audiences don’t mind seeing George III presented as a supercilious fop. Well, [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Madness_of_King_George) (albeit not a comedy) got some BAFTAs and a slew of London Critic’s Circle Film Awards so I would venture that they’re cool with mocking that particular king. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/11 "2018-04-10T12:10:40Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > I don’t think the Hanoverians in general are the most popular set of monarchs. True. And the current view of George III is a lot more sympathetic than the current view of George IV is (speaking of “fat motherfuckers”). ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/12 "2018-04-10T13:05:31Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I liked it. > > “No one heard of” seems off given that the guy is on our $10 bills but I agree that few people knew anything about him whereas most people could rattle off a factoid or two about Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and other money-dudes. Remember, ALW is British, and I seriously doubt he carries American (or any other) cash in his wallet. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/13 "2018-04-10T15:01:49Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > True. And the current view of George III is a lot more sympathetic than the current view of George IV is (speaking of “fat motherfuckers”). I’m not sure if George IV had a single redeeming quality - other than perhaps he was so lazy and incompetent that the power of the monarchy diminished during his regency and reign. I’ve always sort of liked his brother Edward IV though - also lazy and incompetent, but had the will to live long enough for Victoria to turn eighteen, saving England from her nightmare of a mother. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/14 "2018-04-10T19:38:19Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Remember, ALW is British, and I seriously doubt he carries American (or any other) cash in his wallet. Probably true: [Peak cash](https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/feb/19/peak-cash-over-uk-rise-of-debit-cards-unbanked-contactless-payments) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/15 "2018-04-10T21:10:28Z")
What does Webber have to do with a Miranda show? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/16 "2018-04-10T21:46:29Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > I’m not sure if George IV had a single redeeming quality - other than perhaps he was so lazy and incompetent that the power of the monarchy diminished during his regency and reign. I’ve always sort of liked his brother Edward IV though - also lazy and incompetent, but had the will to live long enough for Victoria to turn eighteen, saving England from her nightmare of a mother. I think you mean William IV. Edward was the Duke of Kent, Victoria’s father, who died when she was only a few months old. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/17 "2018-04-11T13:12:50Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > What does Webber have to do with a Miranda show? Read my OP. Andrew Lloyd Webber (and his last name is Lloyd Webber) was unsure that the premise for the show would succeed. Now the Miranda has show the show did work overseas, expect some more productions. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/18 "2018-04-11T13:25:57Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Remember, ALW is British, and I seriously doubt he carries American (or any other) cash in his wallet. Yeah, when I typed that I wasn’t thinking that this was in reference to a _London_ showing with a London audience. My mistake 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/19 "2018-04-11T13:50:51Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > I’m not sure if George IV had a single redeeming quality Besides inspiring one of Hugh Laurie’s best performances, you mean. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2018, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079/20 "2018-04-11T15:51:43Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I think you mean William IV. Edward was the Duke of Kent, Victoria’s father, who died when she was only a few months old. Urk, yes. I had Edward on the brain - and not that Edward, the Duke of Windsor was haunting my thoughts yesterday - as he does to everyone, right? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/london-production-of-hamilton-translates-into-7-olivier-awards/812079.md?page=2)