★★★★★ Dear Evan Hansen: Award-winning musical lands in Sheffield in its first UK tour

Dear Evan Hansen, 

Today was a good day, and here’s why…

After years of hit performances and critical acclaim, Dear Evan Hansen has finally come to Sheffield in its first ever UK tour!

The Company. Photography by Marc Brenner.

First premiering in 2015, Dear Evan Hansen debuted on Broadway in 2016 and West End in 2019, closing in 2022. The musical was adapted into a young adult novel (which I’ve read and found an interesting perspective) and published in 2018, followed by a film adaptation in 2021, reprising Ben Platt’s role as Evan.

If you’re not familiar, Dear Evan Hansen follows Evan, a high schooler with anxiety, who feels alone and struggles to fit in. A tragic turn of events sees a spontaneous lie, which shows him the life he dreamed of, spiral into something bigger than him and forces Evan to face the truth, himself, and those around him.

I have been a HUGE fan of Dear Evan Hansen since it first premiered. My later teenage years were spent listening to the songs on repeat, watching everything surrounding the production, and consuming all its adaptations. Now that, after almost 10 years, it’s finally in my city, how could I miss the chance to see it in all its glory?

The staging drew me in from the beginning. It was fairly simplistic but effective in its use of lights, props, and the back wall. With phones and social media playing a significant role, I was pleased with the use of lights surrounding a ‘screen’ to indicate phone calls, alongside all the screens used to their full potential to display social media posts. Social media has both changed a LOT and also stayed the same in ways since 2015, so seeing the updated platforms and inclusion of TikTok (which wasn’t a thing when the show first premiered, isn’t that crazy?) felt really relevant to the online space in which we now exist.

On the flip side of that, the use of lighting to mimic sunlight and the outside world felt quite immersive. With mentions of burning sunlight, the back wall lit up with bright lighting, shining onto the audience as if we were really there and feeling the sun on our faces. It was a detail I appreciated - feeling taken in by both the digital and natural.  

I was also instantly taken with the acting. Ryan Kopel did a fantastic job as Evan, depicting his anxiety through his speech and mannerisms perfectly, as well as channeling all his emotions in each song. I was in awe as it felt so real and I really resonated with his portrayal of Evan’s anxiety. Alice Fearn’s portrayal of Heidi had a similar effect on me, in that her anger and hurt felt so raw and real, especially during ‘Good For You.’ Their performance as a mother-son duo was incredibly emotional to watch, and felt both real and well-balanced.

Similarly, the Murphys were portrayed brilliantly by Lauren Conroy, Helen Anker and Richard Hurst. Lauren’s voice carried all the emotions felt by Zoe, as did Helen and Richard in their roles as Connor’s grieving parents. Their harmony as a family during ‘Requiem’ was moving and presented all the complex feelings within the family and their conflicting perceptions of Connor.

Despite not being incredibly present for much of the show as a living character, Killian Thomas Lefevre’s characterisation of Connor Murphy was fun to watch - who he was, his relationships, who he could’ve been. He played the role of the misunderstood teenager well, and I know I’m not the only one wishing he and Evan really had the friendship they conjured up after his death. Even adding Jared Kleinman, played by Tom Dickerson, to that friendship so they could be a dynamic trio that wasn’t forgotten or left behind by the world. Tom played Jared’s comedic, a little mean, character really well, making everyone in the audience laugh. Despite his lack of seriousness, and somewhat ‘edgy’ quips, his performance showed the layers the character kept hidden - his own social struggles that he hides and projects onto Evan. Vivian Panka did something similar in her role as Alana Beck. Yes, she’s an annoying character and doesn’t seem to actually care about the things she pretends to, but even her vulnerability pokes through and shows the audience some of her fears behind her overachieving, obnoxious facade. 

Each character was multifaceted and vulnerable, and the cast showed those sides in their performances, enhanced by the ensemble and their choreography. There was no bad guy here, just people doing the best they could in a world that didn’t make it easy.

Ultimately, it’s no surprise that I loved this show. I wasn’t sure if it would live up to my expectations but as soon as it began, I knew it had surpassed them. With the combination of staging, music, and acting, the story came to life and touched my soul. It felt real and raw, its handling of sensitive issues surrounding mental health strong and resonant. I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried for some of the first act and most of the second act. When a show makes you feel so deeply and you keep thinking about it, you know it’s a good one. 

Dear Evan Hansen is running at the Lyceum until Saturday 12 April, and tickets are limited so buy now.