I took far too long to see In The Heights. When the Tony award-winning first musical from Lin Manuel Miranda came to Kings Cross I was very much in the midst of my Hamilton obsession, and while I knew about Lin’s earlier work, I wasn’t certain if I wanted to make the journey across London to Kings Cross in order to see it. I have no excuse, really. But, feeling motivated by the passionate and addictive Latin infused cast recording and the fact that.i was able to get excellent seats at a very affordable price, I changed my mind. And I didn’t regret it for a second – if anything I’m kicking myself that I didn’t go sooner.
In The Heights tells the stories of a group of immigrants living in their local barrio of Washington Heights, New York, following their aspirations and daily struggles through a combination of Latin rhythm and hip-hop beats. Originally I had wondered how a musical so keenly focused on one particular district in New York would translate to a small theatre in London, but my concerns were unfounded. One of the strongest thing about this musical is that despite it being incredibly specific about the locations it refers to, ultimately it’s a musical about home and belonging, the struggles everyone faces to achieve their dreams when you aren’t born into an affluent background, and the sense that the world is constantly changing around you to the point where things you recognise and take for granted can disappear.
Each character’s narrative feels genuine and compelling, in particular I found Nina’s struggle to leave Washington Heights and pay her way through college, and the sense of displacement she feels at being away from her home and the people she knows, very identifiable. I also love Daniella and the girls who work at her salon, who never failed to provide some fun.
The staging belies how small the theatre is, and given that the actors have only a catwalk of a stage to showcase their very impressive skills I was really impressed. The spirit that filled the room was far greater than the square footage allowed, bringing colour and rhythm to Kings Cross. When the actors sing ‘Look at the fireworks!’ you are compelled to look to the ceiling with the near certainty that there will be fireworks cascading. It’s a musical that lifts and carries you through with heart and leaves you with a sense of belonging that is hard to replicate anywhere else.
I believe the show is running until January, I’m definitely going to see it again and if you have the opportunity, you should too. Alabanza!
