New Victoria Theatre, Woking 29th October 2024
I missed both the original Dear Evan Hanson West End production and film so came to watch this without any preconceived ideas.
This is a deeply moving story of socially anxious Evan Hansen, a high school senior who struggles with mental health issue and is encouraged by his therapist to write supportive letters to himself. Evan gets caught up in a lie after one such letter is mistaken for a suicide note written by bullying schoolmate Connor Murphy.
Connor’s parents assume the letter was genuinely written to Evan and he finds it difficult to disabuse them in face of their need to understand their son’s decision. When pressed he fabricates details of a friendship that never existed and becomes deeply embroiled in the Murphy family. With the encouragement of his, now, friends Alana and Jarad he writes e mails supporting the friendship and starts to fundraise for ‘The Connor Project’. As the lie grows, a speech given by Evan at a school memorial for Connor goes viral.
The story illustrates just how the internet can turn fake news into assumed fact, with money pouring in to support the Project.
Ryan Kopel does a sterling job as Evan portraying the loneliness and vulnerability physically with nervy smiles and tentative gestures. He delivers some of the biggest songs which will leave you absolutely stunned.
Lauren Conroy captures the emotional wariness of Connor’s sister, dealing with the death of her brother and seeking answers.
Killian Thomas Lefevre gives a strong performance as Connor, who appears several times to give guidance to Evan. Connor also suffers from mental health issues and sadly there isn’t time during the show to fully explore this.
Tom Dickenson provides the light relief as Jarad ably supported by Vivian Panka as the ambitious Alana.
Music and songs, mostly pop-rock, fit seamlessly into the narrative and Requiem, sung by the Murphys, is especially haunting as they try to express the conflicting emotions they feel after Connor’s death. Waving through the Window, where Evan explains that he is always “on the outside looking in” captures the feeling of many teens who feel alienated.
Morgan Large’s set design utilises sliding doors and mirrors to enlarge and reduce the view of the story with a kaleidoscopic digital backdrop used to show the interactions from social media
4 stars
Originally published by Theatre and Arts Reviews https://theatreandartreviews.com/2024/10/30/dear-evan-hansen/
New Victoria Theatre – Woking – Tue 29 Oct – Sat 2 Nov 2024
Book Stephen Levenson
Music and Lyric Benj Pasek and Justin Paul,
Director Adam Penfold
Set and Costume Design Morgan Large
Choreographer Carrie-Anne Ingrouille
Cast
Ryan Kopel Evan Hansen
Lauren Conroy Zoe Murphy
Alice Fearn Heidi Hansen
Helen Anker Cynthia Murphy
Richard Hurst Larry Murphy
Killian Thomas Lefevre Connor Murphy
Tom Dickenson Jarad Kleinman
Vivian Panka ………Alana Beck
+ Ensemble