Regional Theatre Review: Dear Evan Hansen

Dear Evan Hansen tells the story of Evan’s struggle with loneliness and anxiety as he attempts to fit in at school. After the tragic death of a fellow student, Connor Murphy, isolated Evan fabricates himself into Connor’s life. The result? A spiral of lies which ends with heartbreaking consequences.

Directed by Adam Penford, this performance at Milton Keynes Theatre (just one venue on a nationwide tour) was faultless and each member of the cast had me believing their every word. In his leading role as Evan Hansen, Ryan Kopel made me feel sorry, sad, inspired and angry - no mean feat.

Evan’s relationship with his mother Heidi, played by Alice Fearn, presents the difficulties for parents and children to recognise one another, with both feeling misunderstood and unseen. Fearn’s take on the part was emotional and gritty. She and Kopel had a genuine on-stage chemistry which felt like a true connection between a mother and son.

Despite the focus being on Evan, there is a message about the difficulty of familial relationships in the show as Lauren Conroy (Zoe Murphy), Helen Anker (Cynthia Murphy) and Richard Hurst (Larry Murphy) present a family battling the grief of the loss of their son and brother.

All of the Murphys provide excellent characterisations, but it is Lauren Conroy as Zoe who stands out. Conroy moved me with her struggle to come to terms with the loss of her brother, leading the family’s performance of Requiem.

The music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are gripping and I was surprised to know so many of the tunes. Waving Through a Window presents loneliness wholeheatedly, with the use of windows on the set bringing the song and performance by Kopel to life and isolating him on stage.

Arguably the best known song in the show, You Will Be Found, has an entirely different energy to the others and the use of social media posts as moving panels as the backdrop to the scene was brilliant, creating an entirely different look to the simple set of household props used throughout.

Despite the lie that Evan has created, the consequences create hope for many, both young and old, who feel lonely and isolated and this is represented through fellow high school student, Alana Beck. Special mention must go to Vivian Panka, highlighting her own battle with loneliness and her desperation to make friends and help others. 

The themes and story are powerful but there are comedic elements scattered throughout the performance; in particular in the interactions between Evan and Jared Kleinman as they create Evan’s relationship with Connor.

Killian Thomas Lefevre (Connor Murphy) and Will Forgrave, who played Jared in the performance I saw, brought laughter to the audience, despite the heartbreaking background.

Dear Evan Hansen engages with personal struggles for all ages and I believe it is a must-see. With a soundtrack of musical hits and top-class acting, it will stick with me as one of the best shows I have seen. Make sure you catch it at a venue near you.