Writing a musical that is centred around a teenage suicide is a very brave idea, but Steven Levenson’s book for Dear Evan Hansen is so well written that it works, and it works very well indeed. Add to that a superb score of songs, by Oscar winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, that range from the poignant to the uplifting, and what you get is an incredible piece of musical theatre that succeeds on every level.
As the show begins, we meet Evan Hansen. He is trying to compose a letter, a letter to himself. He’s been asked to do this by his therapist in order to convince himself that “today will be a great day”. However, that is unlikely to be true as Evan’s life is far from great. His parents divorced when he was just seven years old and, ever since then, he has struggled. Socially awkward, friendless and overwhelmed by the simplest of tasks, he is suddenly, and sadly, presented with an opportunity to change all of that and, for better or worse, he takes his chance.
Connor Murphy (Killian Thomas Lefevre) is what people usually refer to as a “troubled teen”. A general lack of interest in life, and in his family, together with misuse of drugs, have left him alone, friendless, angry and feeling generally helpless. As mentioned above, he chooses to take his own life. His family are left reeling until they find a note in his pocket that begins… Dear Evan Hansen.
Connor’s parents, Larry (Richard Hurst) and Cynthia (Helen Anker) together with his sister Zoe (Lauren Conroy) each find their own way to deal with their grief which, on different levels and without giving away any spoilers, all involve Evan Hansen in different ways.
The web of lies and deceit that begins to form is helped along the way by Jared Keinman (Tom Dickerson), the closest that Evan has to an actual friend. As a “tech wizard” he assists Evan in convincing everyone that outright lies are complete truths and, in a very short space of time, the lies become more and more complex, exaggerated but, ultimately, believable.
Trying to manage her busy life as a single working mother (who is also studying to become a Paralegal / Legal Assistant) is Heidi Hansen (Alice Fearn). Although she is doing her very best to help Evan, she is so disconnected from what is actually happening in his life she has no idea about his new found friendship with The Murphy Family or the storm that is brewing as his lies get more and more out of control.
An online group is set up in memory of Connor, and Evan, together with fellow college student Alana Beck (Vivian Panka), soon creates a magnet for so many other lonely and disaffected teenagers, all looking for a place to fit in which, in turn, causes more problems. Evan’s lies are posted worldwide and the storm that has been steadily brewing comes to a head in a very dramatic second act.
Ryan Kopel, as Evan Hansen, is quite simply superb. His performance as the desperately lonely teenager who suddenly finds a way to “fit in” takes us on an emotional roller-coaster journey, with some wonderful highs and really heart-breaking lows. Totally believable for the entire show, his dramatic acting is punctuated with songs that are, at various points, funny, poignant, heartfelt and, due to his incredible voice, crystal clear.
All eight of the principal characters, together with an ensemble of six (Daniel Forrester, Lara Beth-Sas, Will Forgrave, Jessica Lim, Elise Zavou and (Sussex local lad) Sonny Monaghan, work tirelessly throughout the production to ensure that the story is told very well. They are helped by fantastic sound design and a high-tech set that never ceases to amaze us. The eight-piece band create a fabulous sound that supports, rather than drowning out, the vocalists to ensure that we are able to hear every word of this tragic tale.
Since it first opened on Broadway, eight years ago, this show has received six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, three Olivier Awards including Best New Musical, a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Score and a couple of Whatsonstage awards as well (among many others). Seeing the capacity audience all rise to their feet during the curtain call simply reinforces how truly incredible this production is. On tour until the end of May 2025 there will be plenty of chances to experience this wonderful show so go along – you’ll soon find out that “You Are Not Alone”.
***** Five Stars