The Australian premiere production of the famed Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen – currently playing at The Playhouse in Melbourne – offers a heartfelt exploration of teenage isolation and the complexities of social media.
Dear Evan Hansen follows Evan, a socially anxious high school student, whose therapist encourages him to write letters to himself to boost his confidence. When one of these letters is found on the body of Connor Murphy, a troubled classmate who dies by suicide, Connor’s family mistakenly believes Evan was his close friend.
Evan, unable to correct them, becomes entangled in a lie that spirals out of control. As he gains newfound attention and purpose through the Murphy family and a viral social media movement, Evan’s deception threatens to unravel, forcing him to confront the truth and seek redemption.
Beau Woodbridge’s performance as Evan was absolutely stellar. From the moment he nervously and awkwardly shuffled onto the stage, I felt like I was watching a real teenager struggling with anxiety and loneliness. His rendition of “Waving Through a Window” was so raw and heartfelt that it gave me chills. Honestly, his portrayal alone is worth the price of admission.
Another standout was Harry Targett’s nuanced performance as Connor Murphy. Despite Connor’s limited stage time, Harry brought a striking intensity to the character, especially in the scenes where Connor appears in Evan’s imagination. He managed to balance Connor’s troubled, angry exterior with glimpses of vulnerability, making his presence linger even after his character’s death.
There were other great moments, like Verity Hunt-Ballard’s moving performance as Evan’s mother during “So Big/So Small,” and the simple yet visually clever digital backdrops help to bring home the social media theme of the production.
While the show is emotionally powerful and well-executed, some moments feel a bit predictable, and the pacing could be tighter in places. All in all, while there were flashes of brilliance—especially from Woodbridge—the production didn’t keep me glued the whole way through. I found my mind wandering off during some of the musical numbers, so I wasn’t as fully immersed as I would have expected.
Dear Evan Hansen is at The Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne, until 16 February 2025.
