how is the *new* DEAR EVAN HANSEN? | ★★★ review of the UK tour of the Broadway and West End musical

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

If anyone is wondering why I had to reupload this, it was just to fix a small audio sync error - apologies! But feel free to give it a like and share it because I've confused the algorithm 😅

[@amandapalmerau]

Thought i was going mad.

[@Oviya.]

You absolute don't have to apologise! If anything it's incredible to see how much you care about the quality of your content (and it's still under 24 hours so I forgive you😂)

[@RariettyC]

This is a musical where I can imagine a revival in like half a century that completely flips the original on its head; like reframing the story to be more from the Murphys' perspectives rather than Evan's. I feel like the songs are so malleable that you could very easily remix the story, so it disappoints me that a non-replica production didn't take more swings

[@AB_Artz14]

The one moment i remember distinctly, is the moment in which Larry Murphy breaks down in tears! I wish that remains

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

I feel the same way

[@kl-1447]

I wonder how that affects To Break In a Glove. It's already kind of the skip song, and I would think that removing Larry's breakdown would take away from it further. As a fan of the original show (now significantly less so post-reflection and movie release, but i did see it on broadway in 2018), Larry's arc was one of my favorite because it felt very real to the relationship they've set for Connot and Larry. It's meant to be a very tenuous and strained relationship full of regret, and it has a lot of potential readings into generational trauma or just general difficulties between parents and children. To Break In a Glove isn't Larry trying to replace Connor with Evan because he likes him more, it's him realizing that maybe there are some things he and Connor could have still connected over and wanting to do better by someone else because he couldn't/didn't with Connor. It's him trying to make amends not a replacement goldfish. The movie did him dirty by making him a step-father and far more emotionally cold, and I think he is the scapegoat for many of the more negative Murphy family things and it seems like this version leaned into that.

[@1101grayzer]

Larry is played sympathetically. He’s not made a scapegoat.

[@forkybros3018]

That moment is a really hard hitting moment in the original productions of the show but unfortunately, it’s not included in the UK Tour production and that really disappointed me. The original production of the show is my favourite production of any show I’ve ever seen. However, there were some acting choices in this production which disappointed me. Still a good production but I do miss the West End production.

[@1101grayzer]

Try to remember and make allowance for the fact that touring producers must cast from the smaller pool of actors who want to tour. Additionally, a non-replica production must steer clear of the work of the original creative team. This production is really for everyone who didn’t get to see the show in the West End and als on had to be designed and built for touring.

[@PJ-Creativity]

Funny story. Before I knew what the actual story of this show was I heard Sincerely Me and thought it was about Connor and Evan pretending to be friends while Connor was still alive. I was then very surprised when I found out the actual story of the show lol. Something I find cool about sincerely me is that you can actually hear the different characterisations of the “crack” vs “pot” lyrics in the cast recording which is a nice touch and always makes me laugh as well.

[@siyeonjoo6156]

I have a similar story lol except I thought that during for forever, Evan was as sincerely grieving and holding everything in thru the pain and sadness

[@simbelmyne7767]

Am I thousands of miles away in another country? Yes. Am i still watching this over breakfast like it's the morning paper? Yes 😁

[@suzannewalker9145]

Literally not even deh related and nobody's mentioned this but the 'that's not the truth Ellen' reference was gold 👌🤣🤣

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

I tried not to say Ellen but I literally can't

[@Oviya.]

Also, this is such an accurate and well thought/spoken analysis of the book and this particular production

[@jacobunknown]

I saw the second last preview and I agree with almost everything you said in this video. Met Adam Penford twice and I was itching to give him notes 😭

[@Oviya.]

Side note, that hotel room is stunning! (And the chair fail has provided me with a new Mickey mockery moment) 💙

[@tananario23]

Maybe look up “mockery.”

[@jamiegdubois]

I thought the same thing too! For some reason, it reminds me of the bedroom setting they used in the OG Broadway version of Dear Evan Hansen.

[@windler763]

i saw this tour at the liverpool empire 3 days ago and i'm still kind of reeling from it. i completely get where you're coming from regarding some of the choices being a little confusing / underutilised (and yes they haven’t departed from those during the tour) such as the frosted glass windows depicting different rooms in the murphys house a little clumsily and the inconsistencies where in-person vs online / over the phone conversations are represented onstage in different ways, and also the part where heidi moves away from evan at such a critical time in their relationship. those all bugged me too, but i have to say: it was still an electric performance all round. i personally loved the subtle mirrors onstage as they not only provided the metaphor of reflections but they lent a great deal to the lighting department. i can't get over the part during for forever where "the entire sun shines on [his] faaaaace" and those mirrors reflect the brightest light, i was absolutely stunned into breathlessness. the whole place lit up (and the empire is a Big Theatre) and in retrospect it felt like the audience were transported to this imagined orchard and we got to share in that moment/dream with evan. and thus we were also pulled into his subsequent "fall" when the light faded -- i just felt my chest reach out with emotion, i was so moved by it. so, some things definitely worked for me, some things took me out of it just a little bit, but my god ryan kopel was exceptional. words fail 100% came from his deepest darkest recesses that night. there were tears, there was spit, there was this anguished growl straight out of a cesspit, man i was Captivated and the whole audience was right there with him. you could hear the place was in a mess with hiccups, sniffles and those little sounds that you just can't keep to yourself when you're so upset -- yeah, i was blown away. considering you watched in september and this show was in november, i think kopel has been growing into the role along the way and i think he's found that sauce. i was very, very impressed despite the little details you pointed out in stage & performance direction, i give it 4 stars. it deserves a big smooch i believe

[@maxinemonaghan1542]

Seen it Thursday afternoon .. incredible

[@outandaboutwithBen]

I was there last night at the press night and having seen it on the west end last year with Sam as Evan, I was incredibly excited to see the changes. I loved the West end version, but felt the second half plodded at times and felt a tad slow paced compared to the first half. Got to say I think they have smashed this. I absolutely loved it all last night. It felt a tad pacier compared to the West end and more energetic and I loved having an ensemble on stage for some of the big numbers such as "You will be found". On to the cast, wow, they were all absolutely incredible. But a big shout out to Ryan Kopel. Taking on Evan after Sam is just massive, but wow he absolutely smashed it. I felt every emotion and word. Stunning performance. I gave the West end version 4 out of 5, but I'm saying last night was a perfect 5 for me. Absolutely loved it.

[@smeemonkey]

Reporting back on Sydney Theatre Company's Australian production because I do not have a channel or blog haha. The book and score are identical to the original - and no ensemble - but I did really love the set design and how smoothly the screens interacted with the music and what was happening on stage. The Murphy's living/dining room (depending on furniture) comes in like its own little lit-up box, this beautifully highlights the wealth inequality in the two households but also allowed for some great moments like in Words Fail where Evan stands with his back pushed against a wall looking like he wants to be anywhere but there. Then when all the family leave, they all walk out through a doorway at the back of the box and leave him standing alone at the table, then Connor passes by the doorway to look at him for the briefest moment, and it's the perfect final 'haunting' from his ghost. There was one large screen made up of big squares (kind of like giant pixels) as the back wall of the stage, which worked very well in You Will Be Found where it starts with one giant image of Evan giving his speech and then multiplies into a lot of smaller clips as the video is shared, then finishes again with a single image of Connor standing and smiling out over everything as Cynthia comforts a sobbing Larry on his bed. They had a second kind of transparent digital curtain thing that came down over the front of the stage, and the effect was to sort of contain the actors "inside the internet" and they could look at, and reach towards, the images on the screen without turning their backs on the audience which I think worked really nicely. But the front screen/curtain/thing was only there for the big moments, and the back screen was covered by a blue wall during the scenes where social media wasn't a feature. The numbers with the screens also had all of the cast head down, faces lit up by brightly-lit handheld devices as they moved around each other. I loved Heidi, and as a single mum sobbed my way through So Big/So Small, which I think had extra poignancy because her reaction in the college scholarship scene was perfect and the delivery in Good For You came across more deeply wounded than aggressive-angry. She is such a beautiful parallel to Evan, as another person who constantly judges herself and feels like she comes up short, lacking connection or support, and the tragedy that he didn't confide in her is so clear. Evan's inability to say aloud how much he is hurting and needs help, and her sense of grief at not knowing how he was feeling or having the right answers for him... ugh, I'm tearing up just thinking about it. One other minor choice that I noticed was at the end of Only Us, rather than kissing on Evan's bed (having just talked about having the house to themselves) in a way that hints towards their relationship becoming sexual, they both remain seated and Evan puts his head on Zoe's shoulder and they lean into each other, hands held together - it's a symbol of the two of them feeling connected and comfortable together, which I think makes Evan just the *tiniest* bit more likeable because he's been so awkward and nervous the whole show and instead of him hesitantly doing yet another big thing with this girl he's been lying to, it encapsulates "the rest of the world falls away" and you can relate to him not wanting to give that up. This comment is so ridiculously long and no one is going to read it, but if any Aussies do happen to be looking here: GO GET TICKETS!!

[@marktubeie07]

I read your comments and totally agree with you on your various points/descriptions. I saw the Sydney production last night and it was wonderful - it's still with me now & I can tear up in an instant if I think about it too much !! Yes Connor appearing _ghost like_ after 'Words Fail' was masterful & so powerful. Great production...!

[@editzbyelsie]

saw the uk tour and it was phenomenal. saw sonny (a friend of mine) and he was phenomenal. go see the show!! ❤

[@tomaszgrygiel2746]

Production wise - Polish non-replica production did some amazing things with this show. It's at the same time, very grounded and subtly metaphorical in its representation of Evan's anxiety and traumatic memories. Especially in the climax, their use of a revolving stage to interlace images of Evan's memories of being abandoned and the effects of his lie on Murphys' family life is a great example of how production design can work in favor of storytelling. I'm not a fan of DEH, but this production was really something.

[@willsthemusicalnerd]

So glad it’s opened in Nottingham as it’s my local venue, so happy to have seen it so early in the tour 💙

[@ryebread9299]

Eyyyyy 🎉 time to rewatch

[@JeshikaT]

Messaging from interval at the first preview of the Sydney one and I am so happy to tell you it’s *amazing*. Definitely has a few of the things mentioned here, the window especially, but the cast is INCREDIBLE especially considering this is Beau’s first adult role?! All I’m hearing around me is people gushing over how fantastic it is.

[@citrineraindrop6156]

I saw the last preview on monday eve and completely agree about the direction being inconsistent and confusing around the online conversations. Each time they happened it took a good few minutes to clock that they were actually chatting online, and I could not for the life of me work out whether Jared was supposed to be in his own room or not in scenes where he was sat at his computer desk - there were time when he’d just get up and make direct eye contact with Evan and my brain just could not make sense of it! Aside from that I thoroughly enjoyed the show

[@amandapalmerau]

Looking forward to the Australian production. Going in November.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

So intrigued about that one - looking forward to hearing your thoughts about it!

[@smeemonkey]

I'm going at the end of October - so excited and interested to see what they do with it :)

[@amandapalmerau]

@@smeemonkey excellent… delayed attending so i could go with my daughter

[@amandapalmerau]

@@MickeyJoTheatre will let you know what it’s like.

[@gstone8255]

Thanks for providing time stamps 🙏 It’s very helpful

[@gstone8255]

I am so happy you’re engaged to a wonderful guy ❤❗️ Best of luck to you both 🥹❤️🏳️‍🌈🙏

[@Oviya.]

Also thank you for clearing up with non-replica productions means💙

[@victoriamaisey2179]

Thanks for reuploading, I couldn't cope with the other one 😂looking forward to seeing this next year as I narrowly missed out in London. I think perhaps not having the comparison will go in my favour.

[@Oviya.]

Genuinely, I have been looking back at the production photos again and can't unsee what you said about Ryan and Alice's hair styling

[@kevhippo]

Saw this in Leeds last week with Sonny as the alternate Evan. Having seen the West End production with the alternate in Marcus I have to say I really enjoyed it. The changes are subtle. I didn’t think the ensemble added anything probably as there were only four as two were understudying roles. I’d agree that the social class differences between the two families wasn’t as pronounced as it should have been. I thought the second act was much more compelling to the west end version and drew me in way more. So big, so small felt like a filler song before but here it worked much better and Alice didn’t leave Evan at all and stayed on the bed and whilst there wasn’t a natural end for applause it got one anyway. I’m going to see it again next week in Sunderland mainly to see Ryan and compare.

[@jonathanleong4115]

Dear Evan Hansen is now showing in Sydney, Australia 🇦🇺! I'm watching it on Sunday! Looking forward to it

[@randominternetbeing]

i saw the first show and really enjoyed the new design with frosted glass but i agree it could be taken further and used more as a barrier

[@niamhelizabeth8590]

It was good show, I was crying so hard during it . Not sure if you heard me or not lol 😂

[@owenespejo6401]

Here in the States we had an intermittently broadcast program for adolescents called "The After School Special". This is what Dear Evan Hansen, especially the end of the second act, reminded me of. I'm guessing with its Disney-fication in this new production, it now will feel it even more so...

[@onlopine]

LOVED the new haircut. Suits you really well. ❤

[@baldmitzvah]

I’ll admit, i’m pretty biased towards to original broadway version, and I think it’s still very early on in the show’s lifespan to already be staging multiple non-replica versions. In my opinion, nothing will ever hold a candle the original broadway/US tour version of DEH. Grief’s direction, Korins and Nigrini’s set design and projections, not to mention the stellar performances of the OBC especially really made the show what it is. That’s not to say the non-replica version can’t be good, but I think i’ll always prefer the original.

[@1101grayzer]

It is a natural law that non-replica productions occur when and where the original production has exhausted its lifespan.

[@smeemonkey]

I don't know if it was intentional or not, but when you described bits of frosted glass sliding around and then mirrors, I couldn't help but wonder if that's a nod to Rudine Sims Bishop’s theory about stories as "Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors" - sometimes reflecting our own lives, sometimes allowing us to see into others' lives, and sometimes giving us a portal into another world/someone else's shoes. Thanks for the review, super articulate and considered as always! I'm going to the Australian production next month, will have to report back.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

Please do let us know about the Australian production - I'm so intrigued!

[@tomc8765]

If you’re able to see it again, it’d be great to get your take on Sonny Monaghan as Matinee Evan. Whilst it wouldn’t be fair to say he’s a better performer than Ryan Kopel, IMHO Sonny is a better fit for the role and absolutely brilliant in this.

[@lessolomon231]

You need to pack your bags and come to Australia to see the totally transformed re staging odf DEH..>.Totally different in everfy way , no blue t shirt, massive use of new 2024 technology and major changes

[@gstone8255]

I love your videos ❤❗️

[@emms232]

I saw the show this Saturday and I must say I agree with you in thinking that this production is a bit emotionally flat although it's not like I didn't enjoy it. However, I still hope there will come a non-replica production where they would include In The Bedroom Down The Hall which never should've been cut out from the show in the first place (I gave Helen Anker a fanart with a quote from that song after the show and turns out she thinks the same). I found the choreography from the company a bit distracting, but You Will Be Found was even more powerful with them in it (although there was no reason for Heidi to be there since she didn't knew about the Connor Project). Also, I'm not sure if I'm right, but I feel like Connor had some make up on to make him look sort of ghost-like. Maybe it was Killian's natural complexion or weird light design, but even when I look at the photos in the programme he looks way paler than Evan and Jared.

[@maurinet2291]

I literally saw the National Tour kickoff in the US (at least, that's what they said) four days ago. At first I thought maybe it's a twin production of the non-replica version you saw, but as you got into it...I wasn't sure. I saw it for the very first time so everything they did was brand new to me. I don't think in what I saw I got any sense of arc from the dad, his exasperated interaction at breakfast with his son was a disconnect the authoritarian overtones he relays in Breaking in a Glove, and I don't remember a big breakdown either. It did hit me pretty much immediately that this is dated, it felt very 2010s to me. For one, if Evan plays video games, why doesn't he have friends online he plays with? My son shares similarities to Evan, and that's where his best friends were--until he found his rl friend group in choir after the pandemic. And do they even have plaster of Paris casts anymore?? I also stand in extreme awe of you for remembering every moment of every show you watch. I couldn't even remember if the show I watched 4 days ago HAD most of those details you brought up.

[@AeronJames]

💙💙💙

[@lighthouse3384]

I saw it on the premier night, Monday and really enjoyed it , did not see much difference in show ( except the power cut at end of Act one which they apologised for and restarted 5 minutes later) Great show even made my own little review and curtain call on here)

[@MrEyelovephoto]

I like the meta idea of the metaphor of waving through the window and tapping on the glass like typing on a phone to try to connect with the world… I hope that someday web licensing becomes available which I hope is soon that Highschool will be allowed to gender swap the characters … i feel like it’s an important enough message that getting it in to more public spaces sooner would be better it’s a really beautiful show

[@PridefulPioneer]

I like the idea of being a tiny person in your camera

[@Cadhlathequeen]

I’m raging it’s not coming up to Dublin so I’m going to travel to Belfast but I’m looking forward to it, disappointed they haven’t really changed the set too much, I’m not a huge fan of the screens

[@if3359]

From the recordings they've released, he sounds more like Andrew Barth Feldman in tone

[@JoannaPierceVocalCoachUK]

I thought the touring was better than the west end. The vocals were stronger and the meladrama which was uncomfortable in the weat end was toned down so much more. Such a fab cast

[@ScottJDevine08]

I saw this in Nottingham, and ill be honest... I really didnt enjoy Ryan's vocal? I can respect his voice quality, and I understand the higher pitch sounds more teen-like, but I just didn't feel the power of the big ballads, they didn't move me emotionally as much I had hoped, especially in comparison to Sam Tutty's performance. Just my opinion 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@brandonharrison862]

I saw it on Monday and thought Ryan was great. The problem is if you’ve seen the west end, it’s very hard not to compare to Sam Tutty who’s incredible

[@nubiau4788]

My daughter said the same. She went to see in Nottingham and Ryan's vocals were not the best.

[@tomc8765]

Check out Sonny Monaghan in the matinee...

[@skunkjo3195]

Interested to see the Australian version when it comes to Melbourne... I absolutely loved it when it came out (tho have never seen it, I grew up in rural new Zealand lol). However now I think the show is terribly cringe, which may just be the movies legacy 😂 so maybe if I see it live, I'll remember why I used to love it... Lol. I have always loved stories about snowballing lies

[@Mycatmillie24]

I’m wondering if they changed that part in to big to small because I watched it in Nottingham last night and Heidi stayed with Evan on the bed for the whole song and pulled him to her, it was so intimate and passionate, I cried and cried, was one of the best scenes for me.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

glad to hear it!

[@jackgleeson8321]

I still remember Jenny Nicholson making fun of this musical the movie version.

[@Lizontherun]

I loved it but I don’twant to see it again… 😂 which I didn’t have with the west end production. Not sure why that was. Alice was fab, Lauren is stunning to watch! Didn’t 100% gel with Ryan but still thought he done very well. Voice a little too high pitched

[@impastomusic]

I heartily dislike this show, but I still appreciate your review! A note on evolving language: rather than saying someone “committed suicide,” there is a growing preference for “died by suicide” among mental health professionals, survivors of suicide loss, and major media organizations. The former phrase carries the idea of “committing” a crime or sin, the entrenched stigma attached to suicide. The latter phrase is more neutral, and recognizes that suicide is one possible health outcome of mental illness. Just as someone can die of a heart attack (a value neutral phrase) so too can people die by suicide. Thanks for listening!

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

Thank you for this important reminder, I'll strive to be more mindful with language around this topic!

[@impastomusic]

@@MickeyJoTheatre Much appreciated, thank you!

[@jjicbut]

this is how i find out the original production didn't have an ensemble? 😅 the finnish production last year had one, i wonder why they added it when it was otherwise a replica 🤔

[@bluezealous5598]

I've in the US and have been looking for different reviews for the new US tour one. Does anyone know if this would be an accurate review of like mainly changes made within the tour, well besides the actual cast itself is obviously different. Just been curious on that before I commit to watching it when it gets close to me.

[@deb6007]

Hard not to compare to Sam tutty

[@Oviya.]

Is this a replica of the previous video review? There's only one way to find out. Watch it again 🤣🤣🤣

[@owenespejo6401]

So they didn't interpolate Alanna's song from the film...

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

They did not

[@Oviya.]

NEWSIES mention (shes decided to spam you today apprently)

[@PastaSauce.]

Loved the show when debuted. The hype was insane!! But the movie really killed the show. It became a joke. Interesting to see this new revival. I was quite surprised it back but I’ll be seeing it next year.

[@boombanana6017]

I swear I just saw this

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

Had to reupload to fix an audio issue that would have annoyed me! Sorry!

[@boombanana6017]

@@MickeyJoTheatre no worries, get to watch it again 😆

[@octaverambles282]

Bit discouraging that you say the marketing this round for the UK rewrite was much more focused on the positive side of ‘you will be found’ (and platitudes like ‘everything will be ok’) because of how attitudes have changed since the pandemic, since I thought it was already kind of poorly marketed in this way when I saw the Broadway/US version in early 2017. Especially since iirc the ‘the MC creates lies about the death of someone’ plot piece was pretty much handwaved away and ignored in favour of uwuification narratives (basically ‘the MC can do nothing wrong’ rhetoric) by the fandom, which was heavily influenced by news articles, reviews, and official info. That might sound like an exaggeration but I feel like it accurately describes how I saw people talk about the musical, where the vague story of ‘person struggles w mental health and eventually gets better’ was the main focus by even a lot of the articles that were written about how DEH should be praised for its accurate depiction of mental health. But I get that’s not a universal experience as nothing is, just felt like commenting that since it stood out to me.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

So I wouldn't characterise this as a rewrite - and that comment about the marketing actually applied to the original production post pandemic, they pivoted their marketing approach for the Broadway and West End versions to make it seem more uplifting / less hard-hitting. The element that I always think is left out of the conversation around Evan Hansen as a character is that he falls into the initial lie, it isn't calculated, and that he is also a suicidal 16-year old.

[@m.p.w]

Is this review longer than act 1?

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

@@m.p.w noooo, Dear Evan Hansen is LONG!

[@m.p.w]

@@MickeyJoTheatre lol, well if there was an award for talking coherently, non-stop about dear Evan Hansen the musical on tour for 44 minutes and 13 seconds. You my dear friend, would win.

[@newglappy2389]

8:22

[@Andy15991]

The movie ruined everything for me. Saw it twice on Broadway years ago. Now cant stand the songs. Especially the overplayed You Will Be Found

[@MBOYTWO34]

Why did Mickey reload this review? I didn’t get the chance to watch the first version of this review/video!

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

The audio was out of sync on the last one - apologies!

[@MBOYTWO34]

@@MickeyJoTheatre oh thanks for making the videos even better for us MickeyJo!

[@Wheelyadventures]

I’ve just watched some of the promotional videos of this tour. Evan seems much more suited as a Jared type than Evan. He’s too shiny.

[@DJAustay]

Why raise and spend all that money on an orchard when you could spend it on mental health support in your school

[@WVUsax27]

the new Evan aint the same as the old Evan...

[@1101grayzer]

Neither is the old Evan.

[@starsINSPACE]

I don't understand what you hit your arm on lol

[@tananario23]

Critics are to critic, not rewrite.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

You have been commenting this on multiple videos, and never once clarified a single instance when I have done this - please elaborate.

[@amycarcaterra8177]

I'm sorry but Evan is a terrible, lies alot. Def the bad guy of the musical.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

He's also a suicidal child though, people judge him pretty harshly forgetting his age.

[@amycarcaterra8177]

@@MickeyJoTheatre forgot about that. ben platt was like in his older 20's/ early 30 when he played EEvan. Unlike the actors/actresses who play other high school roles.

[@leeburger5461]

you're definitely thinking just about the movie. Evan comes across wayy worse in the movie than in the original​@@amycarcaterra8177

[@JoannaPierceVocalCoachUK]

I have to disagree, having experience of a compulsive teenage liar and being caught in their lies, you understand how damaged characters like Evan are and there is redemption for them but it is painful for everyone involved

[@CanadianChick811]

17:53 Is the scene in the Orchard still a time jump? I think it's supposed to be a while after the whole thing went down.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

Yep, very much written that way.

[@sleepapneavlog]

Generic Platt-itudes. I see what you did there 5:16 😅