After its 2015 world premiere in Washington and subsequent Off-Broadway production, it has been eight years since stage musical Dear Evan Hansen premiered on Broadway in 2016.
Winning six Tony Awards, including Best Musical among nominations that included Come From Away and Groundhog Day – both of which have enjoyed seasons as part of Melbourne’s rich musical theatre scene – Dear Evan Hansen follows the story of anxiety-riddled high school senior, Evan Hansen, and his snowballing lies that ripple through social media with, presumably, life-changing consequences.
Creators Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (music and lyrics) and Steven Levenson (book) likewise took home Tony awards for Best Score and Best Book.
Now, local audiences have finally been given the opportunity to make their own diagnosis of the show – based on a new co-production from Sydney Theatre Company and the Michael Cassel Group – in a year that has seen an explosion of new productions mounted around the world.
Opening Wednesday night at the Playhouse Theatre to a roaring standing ovation, Dear Evan Hansen unapologetically tugs at emotions arising from psychological challenges while up and coming young star Beau Woodbridge creates touching believability in the title role.
From the beginning, Woodbridge instantly draws attention with his quick-fire verbal volley of thoughts revealing Evan’s painful self-consciousness and lack of confidence. He then backs that up in his first two soulful songs –Waving Through a Window and For Forever – with a warm and sensitive singing voice that effortlessly flexes through a broad range, capped by a ringing top and radiant falsetto. In Woodbridge’s performance, only the hard-hearted would deny Evan any sympathy.
Desirous of things to be different, Evan’s reality is a life feeling alone and rocked by bullying. On medication and seeing a therapist, he’s tasked with writing letters to himself as a way of dealing with his anxieties.
But one of Evan’s letters gets into the hands of friendless and troubled bully, Connor Murphy (Harry Targett) who, battling his own demons, suicides shortly after. When the letter is found on him by his parents (Natalie O’Donnell as Cynthia and Martin Crewes as Larry), they believe Connor must’ve had a friend in Evan. Not being able to bring himself to burst their bubble, Evan could not have imagined the trajectory that was to come.
Yes, Evan allows a lie to rapidly grow into a social media sensation and conundrum when The Connor Project is eventually born in order to raise money for the revival of an old orchard in Connor’s memory. And yes, Evan’s feelings for Connor’s sister Zoe (Georgia Laga’aia) are reciprocated as the lies stack.
It doesn’t, however, appear that Evan’s actions are premeditated. Evan is easily influenced by the big ideas orchestrated by fellow student Alana Beck (Carmel Rodrigues) and shady cousin Jared Kleinman (Jacob Rozario), clearly finding it difficult not to be swept up in the buzz created and sense of belonging and strange popularity it achieves.
Importantly, Evan finally faces the courage to admit the errors of his own actions. When the dust finally settles, focusing on the judgment of rights and wrongs of events might simply prove anti-productive as the springtime flowers bloom in Connor’s memory.
From a creative perspective, Dean Bryant accomplishes commendable dramatic thrust with direction that neatly juggles and mixes the work’s embedded poignancy and humour.
Scenes smoothly segue from one to the next through an overall minimalistic design concept by Jeremy Allen and won over by David Bergman’s scrolling digital electronic graphics and Matt Scott’s overall punchy lighting.
However, overly compact set pieces in shop-window-like fashion – moved in to represent spaces such as the Murphy’s living room and kitchen – detract from the action. Nevertheless, Isabel Hudson’s everyday costumes easily pass a contemporary test, lending an extra level of relevancy.
It could do with a couple less songs in the mix but a really wonderful cast and thoughtfully balanced band of eight musicians led by music director and keyboardist Zara Stanton serve up a list of superb aces.
All eight cast members bathe in pedestal moments. Targett’s brooding Connor, Rosario’s smooth Jared and Woodbridge’s awkward Evan whip up an eye catching, sleekly sung Sincerely, Me. Crewe’s stoic Larry, O’Donnell’s distraught Cynthia and Laga’aia’s level-headed Zoe give the grief of Requiem soul-stirring strength and Woodbridge gives Evan’s final solo Words Fail profound depth and sincerity. Not forgetting Rodrigues, her highly driven Alana is a constant spark.
Throughout, a formulaic sentimental touch flows through Pasek and Paul’s two-act score that gives possibility to foot and finger-tapping reactions. Although sung with conviction by Crewes with Woodbridge at his side, scrapping Larry Murphy’s To Break In A Glove wouldn’t do damage (and thank goodness it doesn’t deteriorate further with a game of catch).
And, despite the teasing tenderness and heartfelt beauty of voice in Verity Hunt-Ballard’s So Big / So Small as part of a superb performance as Evan’s hardworking single mother, the nostalgic truck-in-the-driveway lyrics give a mawkish aftertaste.
Perhaps it’s no accident that Bryant’s Dear Evan Hansen comes across with a little sense of the clinical eye at times, making an appropriate space for the audience themselves to assess the situations, themes and impacts more effectively.
With recent mainstream news reporting that almost three quarters of Australian adolescents have experienced significant levels of anxiety or depression by the age of 18, Dear Evan Hansen, while certainly devoid of answers, certainly puts a mirror to the terrible reality with its own yearning for a sense of hope.
Dear Evan Hansen
Playhouse – Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Performance: Wednesday 18 December 2024
Season continues to 16 February 2025
Bookings: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au
Following the Melbourne season, Dear Evan Hansen will be presented at the Canberra Theatre Centre from 27 February, and Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide, from 3 April 2025. For more information, visit: www.dearevanhansenmusical.com.au for details.
Images: Jacob Rozario, Natalie O’Donnell, Verity Hunt-Ballard, Beau Woodbridge, Harry Targett, Carmel Rodrigues and Georgia Laga’aia in Sydney Theatre Company and Michael Cassel Group’s Dear Evan Hansen, 2024 – photo by Daniel Boud | Beau Woodbridge in Sydney Theatre Company and Michael Cassel Group’s Dear Evan Hansen, 2024 – photo by Daniel Boud | Jacob Rozario, Beau Woodbridge and Carmel Rodrigues in Sydney Theatre Company and Michael Cassel Group’s Dear Evan Hansen, 2024 – photo by Daniel Boud | Carmel Rodrigues, Jacob Rozario, Beau Woodbridge, Natalie O’Donnell, Martin Crewes and Georgia Laga’aia in Sydney Theatre Company and Michael Cassel Group’s Dear Evan Hansen, 2024 photo by Daniel Boud | Beau Woodbridge and Harry Targett in Sydney Theatre Company and Michael Cassel Group’s Dear Evan Hansen, 2024 – photo by Daniel Boud
Review: Paul Selar