Olivier, Tony, Grammy, and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical production is coming to Yorkshire for the first time.
We'll finally get to be in the room where it happens.
One of the most successful musicals of the 21st century is heading out on its first-ever UK tour, and it's stopping off in Bradford.
After taking Broadway and the West End - and the world - the multi-award winning musical created by Lin-Manuel Miranda that has been captivating and engaging audiences like no other for close to a decade is about to head out on a tour of the UK for the first time ever later this year.
And Bradford's Alhambra Theatre has been chosen as one of the lucky destinations.
First premiering Off-Broadway back in February 2015, the Olivier, Tony, Grammy, and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical production opened at the newly re-built and restored Victoria Palace Theatre in London in December 2017 - where it continues to play to sell-out audiences.
The smash-hit production is also still drawing in record-breaking crowds on Broadway, as well as on stage in Toronto, Australia, and Germany - with an international tour also planned.
Unfamiliar with the cultural phenomenon that is Hamilton?
Well, to put it simply - "Hamilton is the story of America then, told by America now."
Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway, Hamilton has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre - going on to become a musical that's had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education.
Based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography, Hamilton has a book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire.
An original Broadway cast recording of the show also became a hit movie on Disney+ in 2020.
Smash-hit musical Hamilton to stop off in Manchester on first-ever UK tour / Credit: Hamilton West End
"Since the day the show opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre, London has embraced Hamilton with an enthusiasm we could never have imagined," explained Hamilton producer Jeffrey Seller.
Producer Cameron Mackintosh added: "Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton is indisputably the most brilliant, ground-breaking, contemporary musical of modern times. I feel extraordinarily fortunate that Lin and my friend Jeffrey Seller, the show’s original producer, have entrusted me with their wonderful musical in the UK and Ireland.
"The London production opened in 2017 at the Victoria Palace, a theatre I completely rebuilt to house Hamilton, where it continues to play and has proved to be as big a success as the Broadway original.
"So, I am thrilled that it is time to put together a second British national touring company to bring this great show to our leading cities."
The Hamilton UK tour will open at Manchester Palace Theatre on Saturday 11 November 2023 for a 15-week season until Saturday 24 February 2024, before it heads off to the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh from Wednesday 28 February - Saturday 27 April 2024. Tickets are now on sale for both these venues, but the rest are yet to be released.
The full tour dates are as followed:
Manchester Palace Theatre - Saturday 11 November - Saturday 24 February 2024
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh - Wednesday 28 February 28 - Saturday 27 April 2024
Bristol Hippodrome - Tuesday 30 April - Saturday 22 June 2024
Birmingham Hippodrome - Tuesday 25 June - Saturday 31 August 2024
Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin - Tuesday 17 September - Saturday 16 November 2024
Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff - Thursday 26 November - Saturday 25 January 2025
Alhambra Theatre, Bradford - Tuesday 28 January - Saturday 15 March 2025
Mayflower, Southampton - Tuesday 18 March - Saturday 26 April 2025
Liverpool Empire - Tuesday 6 May - Saturday 7 June 2025
Sunderland Empire - Tuesday 17 July - Saturday 26 July 2025
Theatre Royal, Plymouth - Wednesday 30 July - Saturday 6 September 2025
Norwich Theatre Royal - Wednesday 17 September - Saturday 25 October 2025
The Government is investigating a number of companies for 'misleading' pricing practices.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched three new consumer protection investigations into Trainline, Virgin Atlantic, and RED Driving School over concerns that customers were not shown the total price upfront when buying things like train and coach tickets, holidays, or even driving lessons.
The investigations are part of a wider CMA clampdown on misleading pricing practices - in this instance, where mandatory charges are separated from the headline price, or added later in the buying process, which is known as drip pricing.
These practices leave consumers facing 'unexpected' costs or having to calculate the so-called true cost themselves.
Such practices can also impact competition between businesses, as a firm using drip pricing may falsely appear to be cheaper than a competitor pricing correctly, and therefore attract more customers.
Trainline is being investigated over whether all mandatory fees have been included in the upfront prices displayed to consumers buying tickets in advance on its app and website, while Virgin Atlantic's investigation will focus on whether mandatory resort fees and local taxes have been included in the upfront prices shown to customers buying package holidays.
Trainline and Virgin Atlantic are among the companies being investigated for 'misleading' pricing / Credit: Northern | Aric Cheng (via Unsplash)
RED Driving School is being investigated over how a mandatory booking fee and 'digital' fee have been displayed to people booking driving lessons - specifically whether these fees have been included in the total upfront price.
"At a time when many households are watching every pound they spend, it is important that people are not surprised by extra fees," commented Emma Cochrane, who is the Executive Director for Consumer Protection at the CMA.
"Clear pricing helps people compare offers confidently and choose the option that works best for them.
"Unexpected mandatory charges make this much harder, which is why the CMA initially put these firms on notice over concerns about their pricing practices and is now opening formal investigations."
The CMA says it's at the beginning of its investigations and has reached no conclusions about whether these firms have broken the law.
If it finds there has been an infringement of the law, the CMA can order businesses to pay compensation to affected customers or be charged up to 10% of global turnover.
Featured Image - PNW Productions (via Pexels)
News
Major new phone rule introduced at Wetherspoons after customers are ‘driven nuts’
Emily Sergeant
A major new phone rule has been introduced in all JD Wetherspoon pubs across the UK after customers complain of being 'driven nuts'.
The pub chain - which has nearly 800 branches across the UK - announced earlier this week that it has made the decision to ban people from playing music or videos out of their phones, and from taking calls on loudspeaker.
The ban, which has been introduced effective immediately, follows a rising number of complaints from customers about the noise - with owners saying sounds from smartphones and tablet computers had become an 'increasing problem' in recent years.
Wetherspoon founder and chairman, Tim Martin, says he wants Wetherspoon pubs to be 'an oasis of tranquillity and contemplation'.
A formal statement from the company announcing the ban reads: "Following complaints from customers, who are being driven nuts by other people’s videos and amplified phone conversations, Wetherspoon has asked customers to switch their phones to silent or to use earphones."
Wetherspoons has introduced a new phone rule at all its UK pubs after customers are 'driven nuts' / Credit: Allan Rohmer (via Unsplash)
Tim Martin added: "In order to avoid customers being driven chicken jalfrezi by a cacophony of sound, we are kindly asking phone users to pipe down."
Wetherspoon's ban follows a YouGov poll conducted last year questioning public opinion on a proposition made by the Liberal Democrats of introducing fines of up to £1,000 for 'headphone dodgers' who play music out loud on buses and trains.
62% of people, on average, said they would back this move if it was introduced.
The poll, which surveyed 6,815 British adults, found that almost three-quarters of those over 65 would support the fines, while those aged between 18 and 24 were split 47% to 43% in favour of it.
Early public reactions to Wetherspoon's ban appears to be overwhelmingly positive.
Sophie Smith -
19th April 2023 
