SAIntS holds The Hamilton show

Saint Andrew’s International School (SAIntS) last week held The Hamilton, a theatrical and musical performance about the life of Alexander Hamilton during America’s struggle for independence, in the 1700s.

Performed by a cast of 25 students aged between 11 and 18, the performance which was held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, captivated the audience with synchronised moves backed by sound effects and a live band.

According to saints head of drama and arts Kevin Troughton, the cast rehearsed on a weekly basis from September 2018.

And the rehearsal was worth it. The performance brought to life the events of 1772 when Hamilton migrated to America from the Caribbean and how he rose to become an assistant to George Washington in the war of independence.

“It’s a true story. Everyone in the play is a real person. It is about real events when Americans wanted independence from Britain,” said Troughton.

He said the show was held over three days so that patrons should choose a day convenient to them.

Troughton, a theatre teacher with 30 years experience in the United Kingdom before coming to Malawi in 2012, said the cast was a mixture of experienced and inexperienced actors.

“Most of the actors have experiences from primary school. Older ones have been in shows before. The two main actors are both in final year,” he said.

After the show the audience gave a hearty applause and those who had an opportunity to shake Troughton’s hand complemented him for a wonderful show.

“Seriously, you have created an amazing show,” said Wezi Chatepa, a SAIntS alumni who was part of the audience.

Before the shows last week, The Hamilton was also performed to pupils at Saint Andrew’s and Phoenix primary schools. n