Dear Evan Hansen UK Tour review at Mayflower Theatre

The cast is phenomenal, the soundtrack is outstanding and the production is simply perfect. I know it's only January, but Dear Evan Hansen at Mayflower Theatre is already a highlight of my year. 

Dear Evan Hansen, which blew up in 2016 when it hit Broadway, has won countless Tony, Grammy and Laurence Olivier Awards thanks to brilliant performances and exceptional soundtrack.

The tour production lives up to the hype and brings the quality of the West End to regional theatres. I was lucky enough to catch the West End production a few weeks before it closed in 2022, and the tour is just as good, if not better. 

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Ryan Kopel as anxious teenager Evan (Image: Dear Evan Hansen) Ryan Kopel is a force to be reckoned with as Evan, an anxious teenager who is desperate to fit in and mistakenly falls into a massive lie that spirals out of control and turns his life upside down. 

Kopel was the perfect Evan - a tough act when following the likes of Ben Platt and Sam Tutty who are renowned for their portrayals of the character. 

Evan is a complicated character and it is hard to excuse his actions but Kopel was mesmerising, he had the whole audience captivated during Words Fail. 

It would be easy to think of Evan as a villain, but Kopel is instrumental in making the audience sympathise with the teenager, who is arguably a victim of circumstance and his own, devastating, internal struggle. 

Alongside Kopel, the other younger cast members really stole the show. Tom Dickerson as Jared was simply hilarious and Lauren Conroy as Zoe took the role in her stride with glorious vocals. 

West End star Alice Fern, who has had leading roles in Wicked and Come From Away, is excellent as Evan's over-worked mother Heidi. 

Alice Fern stars in the tour of Dear Evan Hansen (Image: Dear Evan Hansen) SEE MORE: 'Musical bringing explosive West End joy to Hampshire stage is the perfect night out'

With a stage of moving glass panels, bright lights and a brilliant soundtrack, it is easy to get lost in this musical which does tackle some tough themes. 

Dear Evan Hansen doesn't shy away from teenage mental health, grief, loneliness, and the toxicity of performative activism.

NHS stats show that mental health issues among young people are increasing so it's not surprising that Dear Evan Hansen continues to strike a chord with audiences.

With some tough scenes, the musical is ultimately about self-acceptance and finding peace within yourself. 

Dear Evan Hansen is at Mayflower Theatre until Saturday, January 25. Purchase tickets online or call 02380 711811.