This past weekend, while visiting my friend in London, we managed to get Rush Tickets to see Dear Evan Hansen at the Noel Coward Theatre. For £30, we found ourselves in some amazing seats in the Royal Circle with a perfect view of the action. I was really excited to see the show as I’ve loved the soundtrack for a long time. I was living in Florida when the Broadway hit first transferred to the West End and I just knew I had to see it when I returned to the UK. Alas, a month after I returned home, the West End shut down due to something called COVID-19 so my visit to Dear Evan Hansen would have to wait. And worth the wait, it was. At this Saturday matinee performance we were treated to Marcus Harman’s (alternate Evan) portrayal of the awkward and anxious title role, with Hannah Qureshi also on for the role of Zoe. I believe the rest of the cast were the regular principles.
While I absolutely adore the soundtrack, I will be honest and say I was a little hesitant to see the show after watching the movie. Yes, Ben Platt is an incredibly talented human and yes, he did a fantastic job of originating the role on Broadway. But, I think a big part of the movie’s flop at the box office was short-sightedly casting a grown man much older than the title role. Don’t get me wrong, Ben delivers some absolutely amazing vocals but his performance did not translate well to screen and it was difficult to believe he was truly a 17 year-old at High School.
Thoughts about the movie aside, I have to say the show is quite different to what I expected. Having seen the buzz across social media and in the press over the last few years, I knew I was going to be in for an emotional musical but I never imagined just how intimate a performance this would be. For all the hype, Dear Evan Hansen is pretty minimal when it comes to a West End show. It is subtle, with intimate storytelling from just eight onstage actors and a limited, but cleverly conceived, set.
It’s not hard to understand why the show has received so many awards (including six Tonys and three Oliviers). Benji Pasek and Justin Paul, the team behind La La Land and The Greatest Showman, are on to a winner with their incredibly moving and catchy score. The mix of rock-pop and musical theatre lends well to the show’s themes and draws the audience in to tell the story of how an awkward teenage boy lands himself in a situation where a white lie gets out of hand and leads to his escape from the social isolation he had previously been feeling. Having been assigned a task by his therapist to write letters to himself, Evan finds one he has written in the hands of school bully Conor Murphy. Everything changes for Evan when it is later discovered that Conor has taken his own life, with his letter being one of the only things in Conor’s possession at the time. The show explores a number of sensitive issues such as family separation, mental health, suicide and grief.
Considering the company is so small, the performance from each cast member was strong. Harman’s portrayal of Evan was incredibly moving, especially during the show’s climax Words Fail. At certain points, I truly believed Evan was real as Harman perfectly embodied the traits of someone anxious caught up in an unthinkable situation. Rebecca McKinnis could certainly give Alanis Morrissette a run for her money with the powerhouse vocals she provides on rock anthem Good For You (which, by the way, is tragically cut from the movie) as Evan’s mum Heidi Hansen.
A special mention must go to supporting characters Alana, portrayed by Iona Fraser and Jared, portrayed by Jack Loxton, whose comic timing and dazzling vocals had me believing there was a full on choir behind the principles.
While I was really impressed by the show, this probably isn’t one to see if you’re looking to come out feeling ready to party. There are definitely heavy themes, and at times it can be an intense watch. Without revealing too much, the ending is not at all like a usual musical finale and, in my opinion, leaves a lot to be answered. Overall though, Steven Levenson’s book supported by Paul and Pasek’s score and a strong performance from the cast accounts for a polished contemporary musical. I’d highly recommend going to see this if you get the chance! Rush tickets are available daily for £30 on the TodayTix app.
Sounds like some great acting here. Probably not everyones cup of tea . We will definitely take the time to go and see, especially if we can grab tickets at a good price. Thanks for the in depth review.