Dear Evan Hansen: Review

Dear Evan Hansen, today is going to be a good day because there is a great new musical in town that’s full of heart, hope and leaves you feeling like the sun is shining on your face. Well, when I say new, it’s a new production. The show is 10-years-old and has won a string of awards – Tony’s and Oliviers – the big ones both sides of the Atlantic. You probably know it because it’s already been made into a film a few years ago starring Ben Platt and Amy Adams. Am I talking too much? Yeah, I’m probably talking too much.

And who hasn’t been guilty at some point of talking too much or at least saying something that didn’t come out quite right and gets misinterpreted? There’s always that awkward moment when you want to explain – that’s not exactly what I meant – but the moment moves in another direction and then it’s lost. For 17-year-old Evan Hansen that moment snowballs into an avalanche of a lie that takes over his whole life.

Evan has social anxiety. As part of his therapy, he is asked to write a letter to himself about why today is going to be a good day. Another troubled kid in his class, Connor pushes Evan around, scrawls his name on his cast, and steals his letter. When Connor later commits suicide, his parents find Evan’s note and believe it was written by their son. They see the name on the cast covering Evan’s broken arm and joining the dots, with more than a little help from Evan, piece together the false memories of an amazing friendship that soon goes viral on social media and can’t be stopped.

If you don’t know the story, perhaps you can now see why I didn’t want to start off telling you this is a musical about suicide, social anxiety, grief and the disconnect between teenagers and their parents. That’s because while it is about that, it is also about more than that, and the overall feel at the end is uplifting – as musical theatre should be.

This is the first time the show has toured the UK, and this new production from Ambassador Theatre Group Productions and Nottingham Playhouse draws the audience into Evan’s world and keeps them hooked to the final curtain. It is a slick production with Morgan Large’s imaginative set of sliding walls, and projective forests changing scenes with almost film-like smoothness.

Steven Levenson’s book provides a good balance of drama and comedy, capturing both the intensity and sometimes absurdity of teenage school days. The music and lyrics are by Ben Pasek and Justin Paul – the duo behind La, La Land and The Greatest Showman. Dear Evan Hansen has a similar pop feel to it, with soaring ballads like ‘For Forever’ and funny upbeat tracks like ‘Sincerely, Me’.

It is the central performance of Ryan Kopel as Evan Hansen that really makes this production shine. Kopel embodies Hansen in an incredible physical performance that captures the impact of his mental state on his whole being. He also has wonderful purity to his vocals that enhances the youthful vulnerability of the character.

Kopel is supported by a strong cast. On Tuesday, Lara Beth-Sas and Will Forgrave deserve recognition for stepping into the roles of Zoe and Connor Murphy and so ably bringing us into this coming of age digital world. It can’t be easy going on last minute as an alternate, but they made it look a breeze.

We hope it won’t be 10 years before this show comes around again. On this tour it is only in town for a week so be quick to catch it – going will be a good day.

Dear Evan Hansen is at The Palace Theatre, Manchester from 18-22 February 2025 before carrying on its UK tour. Age guidance 12+