Review: Rakas Evan Hansen

Dear mothers, you are enough

Tears start to rise immediately. All it takes is for the two main characters of the musical Dear Evan Hansen to appear on stage: a teenage boy (Julius Suominen) and his mother (Nina Tapio). I realise that far too rarely have I seen a single mother and a son as the main couple in a play.

The musical tells the story of a lonely high school boy, Evan. At the therapist’s suggestion, Evan starts writing letters of encouragement to herself, which is a great idea until the letter falls into the wrong hands. The musical is so skilfully scripted that even its most difficult theme, the self-destructiveness of young people, is dealt with in a fresh way.

I watched the musical next to my 17-year-old son. I was touched by how Evan’s mother felt guilty about her long hours at work and the fact that she didn’t have the energy to cook and ordered takeaway. That’s the kind of mother I am sometimes, too.

I was left thinking about my own mother as well. For me, he has always been enough and more. Does he know that?