Dear Evan Hansen at The Alexandra, Birmingham - Review

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Tue 22 Oct 2024 - Sat 26 Oct 2024

Teenager Evan Hansen is socially awkward, with few, if any, friends, and a target for school bullies. His therapist suggests he writes letters to himself, chronicling his feelings and goals for each day. One of these letters (beginning ‘Dear Evan Hansen’) is found by mean and moody Connor Murphy, the brother of Evan’s object of desire, Zoe, who is mentioned in the letter. A few days later drug-user Connor kills himself and Evan’s letter is found on his body. It is assumed that Connor has written the letter to Evan – with the conclusion that Evan must be his only known friend. It’s the first thread in what becomes a web of lies and deceit, perpetuated by Evan, which spins out of control.

Dear Evan Hansen is a thought-provoking production that had a near-capacity audience at The Alexandra engrossed on opening night. There are serious themes like suicide, mental illness, teenage isolation and use of social media, but there are also great comedic moments and wonderful songs.



The show has an impressive pedigree. It premiered on Broadway in 2016 and won six Tony awards. It ran for three years in the West End, scooping three Olivier awards, including Best New Musical.

The touring version has a stunning cast, headed by Ryan Kopel as Evan who commands the stage – awkward and stammering as he attempts to talk to Zoe, then more assured and confident as his inner thoughts are conveyed through song (penned by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul ). Much of the comedy is provided by Tom Dickerson (as ‘family friend’ Jared Kleinman), who is recruited by Evan to help him convince others that he was Connor’s secret friend. There are also some fun moments courtesy of Vivian Panka as Alana, a pupil from school who becomes embroiled in the deception. I thought we would see little of Killian Thomas Lefevre as Connor, following his death at the start of the show, but he reappears throughout as Evan imagines conversations with him.

They have solid support from Alice Fearn as Evan’s mother, Lauren Conroy as Zoe, and Richard Hurst and Helen Anker as Connor and Zoe’s parents.



For a touring show, some of the sets and lighting are outstanding. I particularly liked the drop-down screens, onto which were projected social media posts (pictured above), and the recreation of an orchard which Evan said was a place he and Connor met (pictured below). There is also a stunning segment in Act 1 where the sun is seen breaking through to bathe the venue in bright light.



Dear Evan Hansen is original and innovative. Don’t miss it. It’s at The Alexandra, Birmingham, until Saturday, October 26.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Dear Evan Hansen UK tour dates:

Oct 29 - Nov 2, 2024: New Victoria Theatre, Woking
Nov 5 - Nov 9: Leeds Grand Theatre
Nov 12 - Nov 16: Liverpool Empire
Nov 19 - Nov 23: Sunderland Empire
Nov 26 - Nov 30: Oxford New Theatre

Jan 14 - Jan 18, 2025: Royal & Derngate Theatre, Northampton
Jan 21 - Jan 25: Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
Jan 28 - Feb 1: Milton Keynes Theatre
Feb 4 - Feb 8: Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
Feb 11 - Feb 15: Bristol Hippodrome
Feb 18 - Feb 22: Palace Theatre, Manchester
Feb 25 - Mar 1: King's Theatre, Glasgow
Mar 4 - Mar 8: His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen
Mar 11 - Mar 15: Grand Opera House, Belfast
Mar 18 - Mar 22: Storyhouse, Chester
Mar 25 - Mar 29: New Wimbledon Theatre
Apr 1 - Apr 5: Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton
Apr 8 - Apr 12: Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield
Apr 15 - Apr 19: Theatre Royal, Plymouth
Apr 22 - Apr 26: New Theatre, Hull
Apr 29 - May 3: Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
May 6 - May 10: Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham
May 13 - May 17: Theatre Royal, Norwich
May 20 - May 24: Grand Theatre, Blackpool


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