The musical ‘Hamilton’ is probably the biggest thing to happen to theatre this century and you see just why when it plays Sunderland Empire this June and July.

If someone had of told you, ooh around ten years ago, that the biggest box-office success in theatre in the 21st century is going to be a musical about one of the Founding Fathers, then you probably would’ve given them a withering look. But ‘Hamilton’ really has swept all before it. Lin-Manuel Miranda has managed to fashion a tale about Alexander Hamilton – an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right-hand man – that’s really connected with modern audiences. His brilliant score, blending hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B and Broadway, was always key and that will become apparent when you witness the cast hit their straps from the very off.

Hamilton, 17 June-26 July, Sunderland Empire, 7.30pm (Wed & Sat mats 2.30pm), from £15, atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire