Dear Evan Hansen

My heart is chattered, they announced the end of the run of Dear Evan Hansen in London. October 22 2022 wil be a sad, sad day!

Never before have I been so heartbroken because of an announcement that a show will end, but never before did a show mean this much to me. Part of me is glad that I didn't write a review after my first visit to the show, just because after now having seen it 3 times, my love for this show just deepens and deepens.

Dear Evan Hansen isn't a musical like the others, it's themes are mental health, social anxiety, suicide and the pressure of social media. With themes like this, I completely understand that it isn't for everybody.

Dear Evan Hansen is a masterpiece. It isn't like a musical, it's a play with songs. The emphasis is on the acting, and that's what I love. Each character has it's own story arc, and evolves and grows through the play (except Connor of course, due to obvious reasons).

Many people laugh at the opening scene, and that laughter evolves to total silence after the interval. We, as an audience, experience this together. We, as an audience, are moved to the core. I hope people start to realise that mental health issues aren't something to be laughed at. Many of us battle with mental health during our lifetime. Try to be compassionate. Try to listen. Try to be there. That's what Evan's mum can do at the end of it all, just be there. As a parent we don't have a map. I also can totally relate with the feeling of 'waving through a window'. With being different. With being alone. And, as a mum, each show I get such a warm feeling inside, like I just would want to adopt Evan and give him a massive hug.

With now having seen it three times, I could also experience that the song that moves me the most, is different each show. Just because I feel different each show. Sometimes I can relate to Evan, sometimes Evan's mum, it can also be Connor's mum, it just depends on what is going on in my own personal life. That to me, is proof of some serious genious writing and acting. I have been moved by other shows, I have cried with other shows, but just nothing like this...

Some people just see the lie, and get upset about it. I see a lonely boy, anxious, alone, trying to do good, but ended up in a situation where it gets harder and harder to tell the truth.

I really love to see young actors, who have their whole marvellous career ahead of them. I am sure we'll also get the chance to see Sam Tutty do some more wonderful work. He has the maturity to go though the heartbreaking emotions of Evan each show, combined with the playfulness of a teenager. His acting is just so spot on. When you sit in the front rows and he looks straight in the audience, he cries, we cry... it's just a feeling that I haven't experienced in a theatre before. That feeling lingers inside me, many hours after the show has finished. It sometimes keeps me up at night, but that's Ok, because that is exactly what I long for in live theatre, to be moved.

After 20+ years comming to the West End to see shows, I am evolving to wanting more depth in a show. I want creativity, soul, feeling, and Dear Evan Hansen has it all! It's a great story, brilliantly written, with beautiful music and emotional acting. I would like to give this show all the stars in the sky.

Before the run ends, I am planning to go see it as much as I can. Because it just feels like I am going to loose a very dear friend. But the memories will stay with me, for a lifetime...

Sincerely,

Me