An honest and personal review of Top Box Studio’s brilliant production of Dear Evan Hansen. Please note tickets were purchased myself and all opinions are my own.
On Saturday 9th October, my partner, Beth, and I visited Greig Hall in Alcester to see Top Box Studio’s production of Dear Evan Hansen. We arrived for the matinee performance, unsure of what to expect, as I’d never visited Greig Hall before. The space had an interesting set-up, with tables dotted around the room and low, blue-hued lighting that felt very Dear Evan Hansen.
Dear Evan Hansen tells the story of Evan, a teenager who struggles with anxiety, loneliness and the feeling that he doesn’t quite belong. Following a misunderstanding after the death of a fellow student, Evan finds himself caught up in a lie that grows bigger than he ever intended. At its heart, the musical is about wanting to feel seen, understood and connected to the people around us, something I think many of us can relate to in one way or another.
As someone who has experienced my own struggles with mental health, I found the themes of loneliness, feeling misunderstood and wanting to find your place in the world particularly meaningful. It’s a reminder that we never really know what someone else might be going through beneath the surface, and just how much it can mean to feel that someone truly sees you. I went into the show not quite expecting how deeply some of these themes would resonate with me, and I found myself reflecting on them long after the curtain came down.
As the performance began, I was looking forward to seeing how Top Box would navigate the mature and emotionally complex story. Dear Evan Hansen asks a lot of its performers, not just vocally but emotionally too with themes can often feel very close to home.
Callum Wright took on the challenging role of Evan Hansen, I’d never seen Callum perform before, I was blown away. His vocal tone was stunning, but it was the raw emotion behind his performance that really stood out to me. He brought a real warmth to Evan, allowing us to see the vulnerability beneath the character’s struggles. What I particularly loved was how natural his portrayal felt. Nothing seemed overplayed or forced; instead, the emotion came through so honestly that it was easy to become invested in Evan’s story. There was something incredibly moving about watching a performance that felt so genuine. One moment that particularly pulled on my heartstrings was Callum’s rendition of Words Fail. The song explores how difficult it can be to put feelings into words, something I could relate to through my own experiences of living with chronic illness and the challenges of explaining something that isn’t always visible to others. Callum captured this vulnerability beautifully, with a stunning vocal tone and a sincerity that made Evan’s struggles feel genuine. Rather than overplaying the emotion, he allowed the meaning behind the song to shine through, making it a stand out moment.
We meet Evan’s Mum, Heidi, early on in the show. This role was beautifully played by Sophie Grogan, who I have seen perform in previous performances and she never fails to shine. Heidi Hansen is a loving, hard working, single mother, who works hard to support her son and his mental health, while balancing her own responsibilities working in health care. Sophie sang So big / So small with the perfect amount of emotion needed, I noticed many people shedding a tear within the audience, including myself. The essence of the song is that even when life feels overwhelming, you don’t have to face it alone, which was always going to tug on my heart. Sophie brought a wonderful balance of vocal power and sensitivity to the role of Heidi. Her voice was strong and full, with a stunning vibrato, yet she knew exactly when to soften her delivery to bring out the tenderness and vulnerability in the character.
Another set of vocals which took my breath away came from Ilana Midgley-Smith, who played the complex Zoe Murphy. Zoe’s character tries to make sense of her complicated family dynamics while grieving for her brother, trying to understand who he was behind the struggles she saw. Ilana’s voice really sparkled throughout the song, Requiem, which is a surprisingly challenging song to sing. Her tone was buttery smooth and I think it takes real skill to capture the emotions woven throughout that song alongside the vocals it demands.
Moving on to the rest of the Murphy family, a family struggling to cope with loss and fractured relationships. Beneath the surface, each family member are dealing with their own pain, creating a realistic but complicated picture of how grief can affect people differently. Cynthia Murphy, played by Marianne Midgley and Larry Murphy, played by the talented Matt Bridgewater were also characters that needed to be approached with a gentleness and sensitivity, in which these performers did absolutely that. Matt’s performance as Larry and Marianne’s portrayal of Cynthia worked beautifully together, both vocally and in their portrayal of the Murphy parents. Matt’s warm, rich vocals blended effortlessly with Marianne’s, creating harmonies that felt natural and full of feeling, while their performances brought a believable sense of connection and complexity to the family.
The Murphy family’s story particularly resonated with me because grief isn’t always about losing someone; sometimes, it’s about grieving the life you thought you would have. Living with chronic illness has brought its own kind of grief for me, the things I used to do, the person I was before becoming unwell, and the future I once imagined for myself. Like the Murphy family, I’ve learnt that grief can be complicated and that everyone experiences it differently. Sometimes, it can be difficult to explain that kind of loss to the people around you, particularly when there isn’t one clear moment or event for them to understand. Watching the Murphys navigate their pain reminded me that grief can exist even when life carries on around you, and that sometimes the hardest part is learning how to live with what has changed.
Alongside the Murphy family, Connor (JT Manders), Alana (Georgia Ashman) and Jared (George France) each brought their own complexities to the story, exploring different sides of loneliness, belonging and the desire to be understood. JT’s performance of Connor Murphy struck a brilliant balance between the raw emotions of teenage angst, moments of genuine vulnerability and flashes of humour. He captured the character’s complexity in a way that felt believable, allowing the lighter moments to sit naturally alongside the deeper emotional struggles without minimising their impact. Georgia’s portrayal of Alana was brilliant, capturing her sometimes frustratingly persistent nature while bringing a warmth that made her genuinely likeable. Her beautiful vocals were an added highlight, bringing even more charm to the character. George’s portrayal of Jared brought plenty of humour to the production, cutting through the heavier themes with perfectly timed comedy. His performance provided some much-needed lightness without taking away from the emotional heart of the story.
The ensemble also deserves recognition, particularly knowing that some of the performers were so young. Their professionalism, beautiful harmonies and well-judged stage presence added real depth to the production.
The creative team, including Tracy Wright as musical director, Georgie Pearce on choreography and James Baldwin as director, deserve huge credit for their approach to this production. Initially, I wondered whether the simplicity of the staging and choreography might feel a little too understated, but as the story unfolded, I came to appreciate just how effective it was. Nothing distracted from the heart of Dear Evan Hansen, allowing the story and its characters to take centre stage.
James Baldwin’s direction felt particularly thoughtful, and speaking with him after the show, I was struck by his desire to create a genuinely honest performance. That honesty is so important to a story like this, where the emotional impact relies on its characters feeling real rather than theatrical for the sake of it. Musically, the production was equally impressive, with exceptional harmonies, beautifully judged dynamics and a score that allowed the cast’s performances to shine.
Overall, Dear Evan Hansen was a production that left a lasting impression on me. Living with chronic illness has changed my relationship with the world around me, and I think it has made me particularly aware of the emotions and experiences people can carry without others ever realising. This production reminded me how powerful it can be to see those complicated, messy parts of being human reflected on stage, handled with such honesty and sensitivity. The welcoming, intimate atmosphere of Greig Hall made the experience feel even more special, allowing the story to feel close and personal.
Of course, Beth and I left singing all the songs and spent the entire journey home talking about the incredible talent we had just witnessed. It’s a testament to this production that, alongside the laughter, beautiful music and emotional performances, it gave us so much to talk about long after it ended. Top Box Studio should be incredibly proud of what they have created. Congratulations all!
Lucie ✨
Incredible cast photo by Grace Kennedy @ Graceful Chaos
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