★★★★★
The Olivier, Tony® and Grammy® Award-Winning Best Musical, Dear Evan Hansen has arrived at The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham. In this coming-of-age show, Evan Hansen is an anxious high school student who often feels invisible. He is desperate to fit in, but in doing so, he finds himself caught in a lie that quickly snowballs out of his control.
As events spiral around him, Evan's once-good intentions to make others happier get lost in the web of lies. Even though everybody seems to need this lie for some reason or other (whether to feed their denial or bring them out from the shadows) the truth begins to appear in the cracks, and Evan will need to find his real self and discover his place in this complicated world.
The book for Dear Evan Hansen by Steven Levenson tells a heart-breaking yet hopeful tale that explores mental health, grief, loneliness, family, and friendship. It is also an interesting insight into tragedy and those who might use it for their own purpose; whether well-meaning or not. Ultimately though, It is a story that speaks to anyone who has felt invisible or like an 'outsider'.
Ryan Kopel (Newsies) plays the iconic role of Evan Hansen, a role originated by actor Ben Platt. Kopel fills this large role well with his strong voice and his ability to depict anxiety and emotion through nervous, shaky mannerisms, as well as subtle but powerful cracks and breaks in his voice during certain key song moments.
Kopel plays alongside Lauren Conroy as Zoe Murphy, the sister of the late Connor Murphy, who is mourning her brother’s death, despite their complicated relationship. Conroy is yet another of the many talents within this production with a great singing voice, and acting that captures the difficult intricacies of grief.
Meanwhile, Killian Thomas Lefevere who plays Connor Murphy acts, after his death, as a sort of 'voice of reason' for Evan, living on through Evan's 'stories'. To this show, he brings a dark yet youthful and jovial humour that keeps the story from being too heartbreaking. So too does Tom Dickerson, in the role of Jared Kleinman.
Teenagers are not the only people with complex, deep emotions explored in this show either. Alice Fearn as Evan’s mum, Heidi, Helen Anker as Cynthia Murphy, and Richard Hurst as Larry Murphy open a conversation about parental struggles both from the perspective of a married couple and as a single parent. The former, Alice Fearn projects raw emotions of anger, guilt and concern in her vocals; particularly in 'Requiem' and 'Good For You'.
This original musical features a memorable score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, for which it won a Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Score; an accolade that is undeniably well-deserved when you have the chance to enjoy these catchy and sharp musical theatre songs played live by the band in this production of Dear Evan Hansen. Despite the show’s exploration of dark themes, these fast-paced, predominately upbeat hits ensure that the production does not feel too heavy. While the production’s deeper, more emotive and moving songs including ‘Waving Through a Window’ and ‘Disappear’, offer reflective, relatable and comforting notes that tug on heartstrings. Overall, the music captures great depths of emotion, and the messages within the lyrics portray characters' intentions, thoughts, and insights, that feed the spaces that dialogue cannot capture.
This brand-new production of Dear Evan Hansen is the first in the UK to feature an ensemble which perfectly lends its voice to the show's message of connection, which is especially prevalent in the number, 'You Will Be Found'. The ensemble consists of Lara Beth-Sas, Will Forgrave, Daniel Forrester, Jessica Lim, Elise Zavou, and Sonny Monaghan; the latter of whom was cast as part of an audition process in collaboration with TikTok. Monaghan also plays alternate Evan at every matinee performance.
This production features unique, elaborate and detailed set design (Morgan Large) and dramatic lighting (Matt Daw). It incorporates digital layers, displaying social media, to tell the story in a way that is in keeping with our modern world.
A contemporary musical on morality, Dear Evan Hansen, is a show that is full of flawed but ultimately raw and realistic characters with stories that capture the complexity of human nature. It is a show that takes audiences on a journey through the societal pressures of teenage life, and the complicated stages of grief and mental health. The issues explored in this show make it a highly emotive story, which could very much be attested to by the audience member I met, who was already in tears by the interval.
Dear Evan Hansen is a musical that has recieved significant hype, and having seen it I can say it lives up to its many accolades. After the curtain has fallen, the show is a powerful reminder that none of us should have to feel alone; “No one deserves to be forgotten, no one deserves to fade away.”
'Today is going to be a good day' if you have tickets to Dear Evan Hansen in Birmingham this Autumn. Running at The Alexandra Theatre until Saturday 26th October 2024, tickets are still available, although some dates are selling out fast!
This review is written following a press invite to the show.
For dates at alternative venues, please see the official tour website for a full list.
Content warning: This show has storylines about suicide and mental health that some viewers may find difficult and upsetting.
For those in need of support for mental health:
Samaritans (24/7): https://www.samaritans.org/
SHOUT 24/7 text support helpline (85258): https://giveusashout.org/
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