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Dear Evan Hansen, Noel Coward Theatre London
Heartfelt musical on youthful anguish in the age of social media
SOCIALLY AWKWARD Sam Tutty (left) as Evan Hansen Pic: Matthew Murphy
WITH a backdrop illuminated by vast Twitter feeds, constantly updated with chit-chat and gossip, Dear Evan Hansen begins with an unequivocal message: we are all connected. Living our lives online as much as in the physical world, this brave new existence can be a little disconcerting and its effect on our wellbeing is just beginning to be understood.
Enter Evan Hansen (Sam Tutty), a socially awkward teenager suffering with anxiety, whose therapist has advised him — though we’re never informed of the reasoning behind this — to write encouraging letters to himself at the beginning of each day.
Alas, things swiftly begin to unravel as his bullying classmate, Connor Murphy (Doug Colling), takes one of them and reads it aloud. This does no favours to Evan and his confidence.
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