SCENE IT: SA staging of DEAR EVAN HANSEN a very palpable hit

Beverley Brommert

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DEAR EVAN HANSEN's South African première has hit the stage with the impact of a tsunami. 

Photo by Daniel Rutland Manners.

A startling synthesis of cutting-edge technology and good old-fashioned moral values ensures its appeal to baby-boomers and millennials alike, apart from offering dazzling visual effects and an engrossing story-line.

The calibre of performance from leads and secondary actors, piloted through the narrative by judicious direction from Greg Karvellas, makes the production well worth a visit, whatever reservations may be harboured by conservative devotees of musicals.

Thematically, DEAR EVAN HANSEN justifies Karvellas' description as "niche". Bullying and psychological challenges, as well as the role of technology in manufacturing a tissue of deceit via the internet, are disconcerting to those who equate musical entertainment with the likes of Oklahoma or My Fair Lady.

Photo by Daniel Rutland Manners.

In the final analysis, however, we have reassuring elements such as the resilience of adolescent love, the appeal of unspoilt nature, and the triumph of  traditional morality over self-serving, artificially engineered "truth".

Certainly the image of contemporary society depicted here is depressing, with a rich freight of challenges mostly related to the disintegration of family life. Its  unedifying aspects are experienced by the eponymous lead, and - through his perception - our own.

The plot of this musical has the simplicity of classical drama, evolving inexorably from a single event - the misunderstanding over authorship of a letter... which is what makes it both powerful and credible.

Photo by Daniel Rutland Manners.

As it unfolds, episodes are marked in the tradition of musicals by vocal performance: solos, duets, and choruses devised by the partnership of Benj Pasek (composer) and Justin Paul (lyricist). A strong percussive beat reflects the restlessness of the protagonists' psyche, apart from underpinning the action with catchy rhythms.

Ensemble in acting, singing and dancing is taut, giving the impression of unanimous commitment. Kurt Haupt 's group of musicians provides clean, pleasingly muted accompaniment to the vocalists' performance, allowing diction to be audible (all too often this is not the case in the staging of musicals), while Louisa Talbot's energetic choreography complements the action to good effect.

Most impressive of all is the performance of Stuart Brown as Evan, in a role that might have been minted for him. Appealing and totally authentic in whatever mood his part demands, Brown makes this character his own, a sturdy anchor around which the other personae gravitate.

Photo by Daniel Rutland Manners.

His leading lady, newcomer Keely Crocker, convinces as a truculent hgirl dealing with her dysfunctional family; Lucy Tops, as Evan's harassed single parent, fleshes out her role to the full and delivers lyrical singing.

There is no weak link in the cast of eight, whose merits are brilliantly showcased in Niall Griffith's vivid, edgy set.

In short, this production of DEAR EVAN HANSEN is a hit, a very palpable hit. (To quote Shakespeare.)

DEAR EVAN HANSEN, presented by Showtime Management and How Now Brown Cow, is onstage at the Artscape Theatre until 9 March 2025. Tickets can be booked online through Ticketmaster.