It’s not an easy story-line, Dear Evan Hansen‘s coming-of-age tale depicting suicide, social anxiety, depression, grief and loneliness in young people to a heart-breaking degree.
But with Gen Z forcing us to confront mental illness and think about the part that all society plays, Dear Evan Hansen couldn’t come at a better time.
The plot pivots around troubled High School kid Evan Hansen, who writes himself a daily note to get through the day hence the title.
Said note is picked up by another troubled teen Connor, who then takes his own life. When Connor is found, the letter is assumed to be Connor’s suicide note to Evan.
the extraordinary songs and musicality enhance the emotion to a dramatic degree
As a result Evan becomes a focus for change, is welcomed whole-heartedly by Connor’s family and even starts going out with his lifelong crush, Connor’s sister Zoe. Evan’s speech about Connor goes viral and suddenly everyone wants to know him. His life is transformed and Evan begins leading his best life.
But it’s all based on a lie, and as the truth gets more twisted, the inevitability and consequences of his deception grow increasingly fraught. When the truth is discovered, it’s almost a relief, for us all.
So why is Dear Evan Hansen such a massive box office smash (the Olivier, Tony and Grammy award-winning musical stormed Broadway and the West End) with such a bleak story-line, and why should people go and see it?
Because Dear Evan Hansen is not only an emotional roller-coaster, but one of the best shows we’ve seen; its light, comedic and romantic moments balancing out the dark.
‘Dear Evan Hansen shines a light on the issues facing Gen Z, sparking conversations around mental health’
And while there’s no getting away from the key themes of social anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts in young people, it brings them out into the open where everyone, from teens to oldies in the audience, can see them, shining a light on the issues facing Gen Z, making us think about our own behaviour, and sparking conversations around mental health.
A fabulous yet small cast, and dynamic set, also contribute massively; the extraordinary songs and musicality enhancing the emotion to a dramatic degree. Ryan Kopel as Evan is just brilliant, his voice phenomenal. His single mother Heidi (Alice Fearn) captures every emotional moment through both her singing and acting, whilst Zoe (Lauren Conroy) shines.
The modern set perfectly reflects the barrage of messages, info, and scope of social media, flaring across the stage as Evan’s speech goes viral, highlighting the daily online battles our young people face.
Dear Evan Hansen is unforgettable, but take some tissues because you’ll sure as hell need them
And yet it ends on a hopeful note, Evan returning a year later to meet Zoe, having moved away and started a new life, proving that even when things seem insurmountably bad, you can still turn things around and start again if necessary.
But yes, we cried like babies for the whole of the second half, Evan’s mum’s number ‘So Big/So Small‘ with Connor’s dad (Richard Hurst) had us whimpering out loud, and Evan’s song Words Fail setting off a wave of sobs around the New Theatre Oxford.
So go, Dear Evan Hansen is unforgettable, but take some tissues because, you’ll sure as hell need them!
Bea Payne
Dear Evan Hansen runs at Oxford’s New Theatre until Saturday (Nov 30). Book here https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/dear-evan-hansen/new-theatre-oxford/
