The long wait for hip hop musical Hamilton to open in London will finally end on Thursday.

The show, which has been a sensation on Broadway, bagged 11 Tony Awards and scored creator Lin-Manuel Miranda a Pulitzer Prize. It uses different musical genres to tell the story of Alexander Hamilton  – one of America’s founding fathers.

The show is opening in London two weeks later than originally planned after renovations to the Victoria Palace Theatre delayed the start of previews.

Jamael Westman (centre) as Alexander Hamilton (Matthew Murphy)

The run in London will be the first outside the US, after receiving rapturous receptions in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago.

In the programme notes for the production, co-producer Cameron Mackintosh writes: “In only two years this brilliantly original musical has already become a legendary success in America and, whatever anybody tells you about it, the experience of seeing it is what really matters.

“With a stupendously talented cast, I have no doubt that London audiences are in for a theatrical experience like no other.”

The show has been in previews since December 6 and audiences have heaped praise on the performances before critics deliver their own verdicts.

Performances were initially slated to begin on November 21 and thousands of ticket-holders have had to be re-seated.

Miranda, who penned the musical and starred as the title character in the original Broadway cast, has previously told the Press Association he is excited to see how the comedic portrayal of King George III, the British monarch who lost the American colonies, is received in the UK.

He said: “King George III is a crowd favourite with every actor, every rapper.

“When Busta Rhymes saw the show he said ‘I need that outfit’.

Michael Jibson as King George (Matthew Murphy)

“There is something about the character, he becomes an audience surrogate.

“It’s sort of delightful, as he pokes holes in the American mythology, he’s all of us in a way.”

Miranda added that he does not think the fact the show details another country’s history will affect the audience’s enjoyment and understanding.

Rachelle Ann Go, Rachel John and Christine Allado as the Schuyler sisters Eliza, Angelica and Peggy (Matthew Murphy)

He said: “That was one of the first questions I got when I was in London – ‘We don’t know your history here’.  I would sheepishly add, ‘Well most Americans don’t know our history either so that’s not an impediment to enjoying the musical’.

“But I’m very curious to see how you guys react to King George III in the show, that theatre is in the shadow of Buckingham Palace so I’m very curious to see how that goes over.

Giles Terera as Aaron Burr (Matthew Murphy)

Miranda is expected to attend opening night with his wife Vanessa Nadal after the couple offered fans the chance to make a donation to charities to be in with a chance of joining them at the show.

They teamed up with online fundraising platform Prizeo to invite fans to make a donation to the National Resources Defence Council (NRDC) and the UK-based climate change charity 10:10 to be in with a chance of winning the prize.

Hamilton opens at the Victoria Palace Theatre on December 21.