Dear Evan Hansen
Dear Evan Hansen is a contemporary musical that follows Evan Hansen, a socially anxious high school student who struggles to connect with others. After a classmate, Connor Murphy, takes his own life, a misunderstanding leads people to believe that Evan was Connor’s close friend. Evan, initially hesitant, goes along with the lie, finding himself gaining popularity, forming bonds with Connor’s family, and even falling for Zoe, Connor’s sister. However, as the lie spirals out of control, Evan must confront the consequences of his actions and come to terms with his own feelings of loneliness, guilt, and the search for belonging. The musical explores themes of mental health, identity, and the impact of social media.
I will preface this review with a personal note…..having lost my father to suicide, I wasn’t prepared for how emotional this show would be for me personally. Anyone that has lost someone to suicide will never quite understand the reasoning behind it, or the decision to end a life, leaving behind loved ones who just want answers. Shows like Dear Evan Hansen are so important to bring these topics to the forefront and get people talking, hopefully preventing someone else having to go through such an ordeal.
This show is exemplary in extracting emotion, with an absolute stellar performance by Ryan Kopel as Evan. I felt every moment of despair, awkwardness, sorrow, sadness and fear, as Kopel showed exactly why he was cast in this role. There are many moments of excellence, however the raw emotion shown during Words Fail, left me reaching for the tissues…again. I would happily give Kopel 10 stars if I could. Playing alongside Ryan is musical theatre royalty, Alice Fearn as Heidi, Evan’s Mum. No stranger to big performances, Fearn’s stage presence is unwavering, not to mention her incredible vocal prowess, particularly raising the stakes in So Big/ So Small where we hear that pitch perfect Fearn belt. What a pleasure!
Even with moments of sadness within the show, there are also some wonderful moments of humour mainly through ‘family friend’ Jared Keinman played with such comedic timing by Tom Dickerson and certainly raising some laughs during Sincerely Me, a fun upbeat number guaranteed to lift the mood. Don’t get me wrong, this musical is not depressing in the slightest, but the lighter moments really do increase the levels of dopamine in your body.
The set (Morgan Large) was extremely effective, consisting of frosted glass which slid back and forth at various moments throughout. Combined with the lighting (Matt Daw) which really complemented certain musical moments, such as a beautiful ray of light during For Forever, the whole setting for the piece was very calming, but also visually stimulating in all the right places. The use of video projection (Ravi Deepres) during You Will Be Found was another moment that found me reaching for a tissue with many social media posts appearing to encompass the stage and show the way that people can come together for good, and how there are people all over the world struggling with life in one way or another.
The music by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (The Greatest Showman, La La Land) includes some of the most lyrically beautiful songs I’ve ever heard. I’ve been a fan of the original cast recording for many years since the show premiered on Broadway in 2016 with Ben Platt originating the role of Evan, with a visit to the silver screen in 2021 where Platt returned to the role. With an anthemic feel to You Will Be Found, to the heart wrenching Waving Through a Window and the beautifully performed Requiem, your ears really are blessed throughout.
I could wax lyrical for pages about the many reasons you must see this show if you can. If you’re struggling personally, or know someone who may have experienced loss through suicide, it’s important that these types of shows exist in order to spread awareness. So make today a good day and book yourself a ticket to see this latest tour of Dear Evan Hansen and remember that there is always light to be found even in your darkest days.
If you are struggling and need to speak to a trained professional, then visit: Home - Mind
This show was reviewed on the 22nd October 2024 at the Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham where it runs until the 26th October 2024. Tickets available here : Dear Evan Hansen Tickets | The Alexandra, Birmingham in Birmingham | ATG Tickets
Review written by Emma Rowley
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