Two years after it closed on the West End, “Dear Evan Hansen” is back for a UK tour, and it has all kicked off at Nottingham Playhouse. I previously ranked “Dear Evan Hansen” as my number one show in 2022, so I was very excited to see this musical with an all-new cast, although I had reservations that it could fail to live up to my impossibly high expectations. Thankfully, those reservations were unfounded.
“Dear Evan Hansen”, written by songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (who also penned La La Land and The Greatest Showman), is less a musical and more a play with songs, as each song feels expertly weaved into the narrative, and progresses the story naturally without feeling shoehorned or unnecessary. The musical begins with Evan (the phenomenal Ryan Kopel) struggling to fit in at school, battling with anxiety and self-confidence. Kopel portrays a very sympathetic Evan in the opening act, nervous and jumpy but with a cheeky flair in his casual asides to the audience. His performance of “Waving Through a Window” is a perfect introduction to the character, and a hint that there are greater things to come. Kopel masterfully displays Evan’s transition from insecure teenager to sudden superstar in the second half, as the character grows in confidence and begins to become unlikeable in a way that does not feel unwarranted given the opening act. Intricate character moments give greater insights into why Evan behaves the way he does, and the final crescendo of “Words fail” feels almost effortless, as Evan’s world comes crashing down around him.
The main focus of the story is Evan’s relationship with the Murphy family – Larry (Richard Hurst), Cynthia (Helen Anker) and their daughter Zoe (Lauren Conroy), who are all struggling to cope after son/brother Connor (Killian Thomas Lefevre) takes his own life. Conroy in particular is a revelation – her Zoe is bolshy and self-assured, but there are clear insecurities bubbling under the surface, which are glimpsed in moments such as the song “Requiem”, where she promises herself not to grieve for Connor, who she saw as a bully and a villain. Her shock at the word “monster”, which she spits with such vitriol, means that she pulls herself back, denying the song the climax it has seemingly been building towards, so surprised is she at her own anger and fury. It is an expertly realised portrayal of grief, and perfectly encapsulates Zoe and Connor’s complicated relationship.
Sadly, Anker and Hurst’s grief is not portrayed in quite so intricate a fashion, with Anker’s grief feeling more one-note without the depths of Conroy’s portrayal (although she is also given less stage time, which naturally hinders the exploration). Hurst is afforded slightly more time, with the song “Break in a glove”, which gives us a little more insight into Larry and Connor’s relationship, with Larry coming close to tears before choking them back and resuming his “brave face” routine. It would have been nice to have seen Larry finally confront his more emotional side, as his journey feels incomplete without it, but Hurst does a great job with the direction he has been given.
The second act sees the relationship between Evan and his mum Heidi (Alice Fearn, who I saw previously in Come From Away) come into focus. Heidi is a mother who is trying her best whilst never quite succeeding, and her arguments with Evan are some of the highlights of the show. This is a show where it is never clear who the “heroes” are, and there will be members of the audience on Evan’s side, and members who are on Heidi’s side, and others who jump from one side to the other throughout the course of the show. “Good for you” gives Fearn a chance to show off her impressive vocal range, as she finally gives Evan a few home truths, whilst “So Big/So Small” gives us a more personal note to end the musical on, both heart breaking and uplifting in equal measure.
Supporting characters Jared (Tom Dickerson) and Alana (Vivian Panka, who I saw previously in Heathers) feel just as important as the rest, both brilliantly realised. Dickerson is a clear audience favourite – his portrayal leans heavily into the comedy aspects (he is simply a joy to watch in “Sincerely, Me”), yet he is given more serious beats in the second act. The character of Alana is at risk of coming across as insensitive and self-obsessed, but in the hands of Panka she is incredibly likeable, eager to please yet unsure of herself.
Some people may be wondering about the differences between the touring production and the West End production. On the whole, the productions are very similar, but there are some notable differences, mainly the inclusion of an ensemble, who are seemingly there simply to make use of understudies for what will be a long tour continuing until next May. The ensemble add very little to the show, and the bits that they do add feel unnecessary and occasionally damaging to the scenes. “Dear Evan Hansen” features ballads and solos rather than big dance numbers, but this doesn’t stop director Adam Penford and choreographer Carrie-Anne Ingrouille from shoe-horning some interpretive dancing into songs such as “Waving Through a Window” and “You Will Be Found”. In the case of the latter, this feels especially detrimental, as the ensemble become the focus, and we miss out on Cynthia and Larry’s reactions to Evan’s speech – the Murphys are reduced to backing singers for the culmination of Act One.
The set, designed by Morgan Large, is also revamped for this touring production, drawing heavily on reflections (the stage is surrounded by large mirrors) and frosted glass windows, reminiscent of the secrets and lies that Evan surrounds himself with. Numerous screens show video design from Ravi Deepres, which help to elevate some moments from songs – the stage is flooded with light during “For Forever” as Evan describes climbing a tree and basking in the sunlight. Some may argue that this additional video design draws attention away from the actors, yet I felt it elevated their performances to further heights. The inclusion of BSL interpreters on the screens during “You Will Be Found” also helped to highlight the ideas that permeate throughout the show – that “everyone matters”.
You may notice that throughout this review, I’ve given very little details of the plot. That is on purpose – the plot is so full of twists and turns that the less you know, the more enjoyable it is. This is a rollercoaster of a show. It is exhausting, and emotional, and inspirational. It is a show that will live with me “for forever”, and a truly astounding piece of theatre.
Tom Morley, September 2024
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