Last week I went to see the musical Dear Evan Hansen in Manchester. I am a big musicals fan and this was one I had not seen before, nor did I know any of the songs.
I was completely swept away, as was the man sitting next to me who appeared to be crying the whole way through, he was so moved.
For me the most powerful aspect was the wonderful way in which complex emotions were expressed and developed in the characters. Evan and his mum, Heidi, for me were the most interesting. Flawed, damaged, but so relateable as they struggle to find a way to connect. For Heidi, her longing to understand and be close to her suffering teenage son spoke to me and many of my clients who are parents, navigating this time of change and the loss of their child as someone who would once turn to them for support and comfort, and now, instead, looks outward to the world and other people.
For Evan, his need for acceptanace and to be seen mirrors the adolescent stage of development when peers become a bridge between the worlds of childhood and adolescence. Evan's anguish as he finds himself in an impossible situation is agonisingly poignant.
The depiction of these fundamental life experiences was beautifully nuanced and speaks to psychological theories of adolescence and attachment as well as many other themes. I recommend this show to anyone interested in adolescence, parenting, social anxiety and friendship.
I found the song 'Does Anybody Have A Map?' to be an accurate representation of the plight of the parent of a teen. I hope you enjoy it!
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