Sydney has had an incredible amount of high-quality (and exciting) musical theatre shows come to its shores this year but few have been as hyped as Dear Evan Hansen. A Tony Award-winning smash hit Broadway show that has developed a cult following among teenagers and those who perceive themselves as outsiders all around the world, this is a musical that appeals to a completely different demographic than Sydney Theatre Company’s general target audience. Produced in conjunction with the Michael Cassel Group, this is the first time that this musical has been performed by an Australian cast, with the beautiful Roslyn Packer Theatre (not typically a musical theatre venue) playing host to this production. 

On the surface, this has all the hallmarks of a modern-day pop musical but when considered more deeply, it has a level of deftness and subtlety that extends beyond a superficial viewing. The musical tells of a young boy, Evan Hansen, who is struggling to deal with the end of his schooling and does not fit in. He encounters another boy Connor Murphy, who ends up committing suicide shortly after, with a note from Evan in his hand. From this, Evan (somewhat inadvertently) spins a web of deception, creating a life and persona that receive the adulation of his colleagues and the love of Connor’s family. 

The musical touches on themes of narcissism, belonging, love and deception in the age of social media as well as youth mental health, making it an incredibly poignant watch. The acting throughout the show matches the poignancy of the script, with Lawrence Hawkins (standing in for Beau Woodbridge as Evan) doing a superb job of conveying the difficult and layered emotions of the character. He is well supported by the Murphy family, with Martin Crewes and Natalie O’Donnell forming yet another convincing stage couple after their roles in Mamma Mia. This is a difficult musical to pull off from a theatrical standpoint because many of the characters have to portray quite literal emotions in a deft way, but this is managed very well and leads to a very effective production. 

The set design is also sublime, with Jeremy Allen doing an extraordinary job of conveying space through his simple yet nuanced layout. The production feels very cohesive and well put-together all the way through, which is emblematic of the work of Kip Williams and Michael Cassel, who are both at the global forefront in this regard. 

Then there is the music and only when viewing the work in its entirety can one appreciate the true strength of Pasek and Paul’s score, which is both gorgeously crafted and incredibly catchy. The songs play with range and emotion in a way that very few contemporary musical theatre scores can master and do so in a way which captures the story perfectly. 

This means that the score is one of the more challenging in the modern musical theatre canon and this is where some of the weaker moments in this production tend to show up. Hawkins is a fantastic character actor for Evan but just does not quite have the vocal chops to nail the admittedly very difficult role, cracking and faltering on a few too many of the soaring high notes. Heidi Hansen (played by Verity Hunt-Ballard) as well as Crewes and O’Donnell are also fabulous but again, their strengths lie more in their acting in this performance. The exception is Georgia Laga’aia as Zoe Murphy who sings a beautiful and passionate “Requiem” but overall, the singing just feels slightly off on this night. Given that the lead is out of this production, this is perhaps due to cast illness but it is truly the only fault on a very strong production. 

This is an incredibly exciting musical for the Australian theatre landscape and one which I think will capture the imagination of audiences who attend. The musical has a lot of depth and meaning for so many and this cast does a great job of bringing it to life. While the singing doesn’t quite live up to expectations at all times, this is still an amazing production which is well worth seeing while it is still on in Sydney. 

Rating: ★★★★

Dear Evan Hansen plays at the Roslyn Packer Theatre until 1^st December before beginning a national tour. For more information, click here.  

Photo credits: Daniel Boud (note the production photos feature Beau Woodbridge as Evan Hansen)