Review: DEAR EVAN HANSEN, King's Theatre
Dear Evan Hansen runs at the Kings Theatre until 1 March
Dear Evan Hansen is a Tony and GRAMMY-award-winning musical with book by Steven Levenson and music & lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
Evan Hansen (Ryan Kopel) is a social outcast whose only acquaintance at school is a family friend who makes it clear he only speaks to him because his parents make him. Evan attends school with his arm in a plaster cast and fellow outcast Connor Murphy (Killian Thomas Lefevre) offers to sign it. Days later when Evan learns of Connor’s suicide, the cast signature is used as evidence by Connor’s family to suggest a much closer friendship between the boys.
This is all a big misunderstanding. A letter Evan wrote to himself as instructed by his therapist is found in Connor’s possession and thought to be Connor’s last words. Too embarrassed to admit what the letter really was, Evan pretends that the pair were best friends. As Connor’s family embrace him, he finds his lies escalating and it becomes harder and harder to tell the truth- that he didn’t know him at all.
There are some truly exceptional musical numbers in Dear Evan Hansen such as “Waving Through A Window”; “For Forever”; “Requiem” and the very moving “You Will Be Found”.
The casting for the tour is fantastic with Wicked legend Alice Fearn as Heidi Hansen. Ryan Kopel is wonderful as Evan, a complex character who is deeply likeable despite his constant bad decisions.
Dear Evan Hansen first opened in 2016 and this version has brought it up to date with the use of current social media platforms. The staging is innovative and retains the feel of a big West End show.
As this much-loved musical makes its Scottish debut, it is clear that it is a show that means a lot to many. It focuses on adolescent mental health and the complexities of family dynamics and does so with a big, belting tracklist that feels as though it will stand the test of time.
Photo credit: Mark Brenner
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