But keep listening. Very soon you’ll get a sense of a story unfolding on an enormous scale. Alexander Hamilton starts off as a down-on-his-luck orphan in the Caribbean. He heads to New York, where he encounters a rival, Aaron Burr, and a group of politically-minded friends, becoming entangled in the twists and turns of the budding American revolution. He begins to make a name for himself. It’s a history lesson, but it’ll make you laugh. And then, suddenly, you’re lost forever.

Stage 5: Listen to the Original Cast Recording 20 more times and cancel your weekend

The first time you listen to it, you’ll laugh with joy at the rapid-fire rapped dialogue, endless references to contemporary pop and hip-hop music, clever puns and mentions of historical events, and perfectly pitched jokes. So much happens so fast that it’s not always easy to tell exactly what is going on with each character, so obviously you’ll have to listen again. And again.

At first your favourite songs are the quick, funny, daring ones near the beginning, when revolution is in the air and everything seems possible: Hamilton’s swaggering self-introduction in My Shot, Angelica and Eliza's call-to-arms for witty and intelligent women in The Schuyler Sisters, and the taunting comic songs from King George (You’ll Be Back is especially fun for British listeners).