The story of ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ is a painful and gut-wrenching one – charting the high school life of a boy, constantly looked down on by his peers, who gets a morally warped opportunity to change his story.
The set-up of ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ is at times difficult to watch. If not for the comedic interjections of characters like Jared (Jacob Rozario) and Alana (Carmel Rodrigues), it might be too much to stomach.
We look on as Evan Hansen weaves an uncontrollable web of lies about his so-called best friend Connor (Harry Targett). . . And we observe as his parents Cynthia and Larry (Natalie O’Donnell and Martin Crewes) hang on Evan’s every word as they cling to the memory of their son.
It’s awful. The way Connor’s parents buy Evan’s deceit makes this reviewer squirm in his seat. . . A testament to the phenomenal talents on stage. Beau Woodbridge’s verbal construction of a world which only exists in his mind, for the relief and attention of Connor’s parents, is mesmerising to witness as it unfolds. He is a world-class talent, capturing every dimension of Evan’s personality throughout the show: awkwardness, shyness, self-hatred, resentment. . . Plus, there’s also something so loveable, charming and magnetic about him.
Beau’s voice is massive. He flexes his ability to bring us right in and feel him whisper his inner-most thoughts. . . Before reaching the highest points of the theatre with booming crescendoes.
Set design from Jeremy Allen really brings this show to life. It feels minimal at times yet massive at others, with a huge screen which comes down at pivotal points in the show, and a large box which moves forward and back depicting rooms of the Murphy house.
Image © Daniel Boud
The music of ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ is fantastic. It’s, for the most part, dynamic, energetic, bouncy. . . And incredibly emotive. Highlights include ‘Anybody Have A Map?’, ‘Waving Through A Window’, ‘Requiem’ and ‘You Will Be Found’.
Special mention must go to ‘So Big / So Small’ – a piece of music so gripping and powerful (huge props must go to Verity Hunt-Ballard for this extraordinary performance) it has the entire theatre suspended in silence. . . That is, until the song ends and many light sobs, sniffles and exhales are heard through the room. Wow.
Natalie O’Donnell and Martin Crewes play Connor’s parents, taking us through myriad stages of grieving including deep, deep sadness, anger, and denial. Georgia Laga’aia as sister Zoe is perhaps the most complex here – noticeably wrestling with the loss of a brother she thought she hated with every inch of her being.
Harry Targett’s Connor Murphy shows us with beautiful subtlety the nuance and complexity of mental health – and communicates the important, and very real, perspective that poor mental health is not always glaringly visible on the outside.
‘Dear Evan Hansen’ is a tough but beautiful two-and-a-half hours. Anyone who had a not-so-great time in high school will find it painfully relatable, and its messaging about the importance of being honest – not just to those around you, but to yourself – sticks like a plaster cast.
