Venue: Roslyn Packer Theatre (Sydney NSW), Oct 12 – Dec 1, 2024
Book: Steven Levenson
Music and Lyrics: Benj Pasek & Justin Paul
Director: Dean Bryant
Cast: Martin Crewes, Verity Hunt-Ballard, Georgia Laga’aia, Natalie O’Donnell, Carmel Rodrigues, Jacob Rozario, Harry Targett, Beau Woodbridge
Images by Daniel Boud
Theatre review
Evan finally becomes popular, after fabricating a close relationship with Connor, after Connor’s suicide. In the teen drama of Dear Evan Hansen, we watch a protagonist suffer from loneliness and anxiety, but gradually grow in maturity and self-awareness, after learning from his mistakes. The narrative, like the songs of this 2016 musical, is earnestly sentimental to a fault. The book by Steven Levenson, with songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, depict the substantive effects of a snowballing lie, but everything works too hard to keep Evan likeable throughout the piece.
What may be saccharine for some, is also the ticket to commercial viability, in this business of the musical theatre. Productions like Dear Evan Hansen often prove successful even when deficient in literary complexity, or indeed any simple sense of irony. The show’s stakes too are never really high enough, but it does seem that formulaic song writing is more than adequate to have audiences invest, both in terms of emotions and money.
The staging is however, very slick and frequently spectacular, as directed by Dean Bryant, with enveloping video projections by David Bergman leaving a particular strong impression, and musical direction by Zara Stanton never failing to have the audience roused and beguiled. Sound engineering by Ghiovanna De Oliveira is highly effective in achieving extraordinary clarity and balance, and can be credited for enriching the quality of singing by its passionate cast.
Beau Woodbridge plays Evan, with immense sincerity and an admirable precision, in a presentation memorable for its technical excellence. Jacob Rozario is a godsend as classmate Jared, able to introduce some uplifting playfulness, to an excessively solemn experience. Maternal characters are played powerfully by Verity Hunt-Ballard and Natalie O’Donnell, both bringing an air of substance, to roles that are mediocrely written.
It should be no surprise that entertainment can be packaged in something bland and inoffensive, in its commercial aspirations to have the widest reach. When art bears those same qualities however, we have to be suspicious of what it says, in the possible absence of integrity and truth. The message of Dear Evan Hansen can feel dubious on reflection, and we begin to understand that a momentary sensation of heightened dramatics, can prove subsequently to be empty and cheap.
Suzy Goes See 