k*insert video here*

“I've learned to slam on the brake

Before I even turn the key
Before I make the mistake
Before I lead with the worst of me”
I’m making this video to share with you guys my review and feelings about the
musical “Dear Evan Hansen”, which, despite not being my most favorite, is
undoubtedly the most relatable and impactful one I’ve ever enjoyed.
1. General:
- Spoiler alert: This video contains spoilers on some minor and major events
in the plot.
- Reason of choice: as for the reason why I’ve picked it to review about…If
you’ve ever had thoughts of isolation or social anxiety, been awkward around
people, been confused with your emotions, had trouble connecting with your
parents or contemplated suicide, then “Dear Evan Hansen” will hit you in the
heart. And I am one of those who get hit on so many different levels of
emotions by this masterpiece.
2. Storyline
To summarize the plot in one sentence: the musical tells the story of a
teenager, Evan Hansen, who invents an important role for himself in a tragedy
that he did not earn.
The title character, Evan Hansen, an awkward, misfit high school student,
struggles with Social Anxiety Disorder. On the advice of his therapist, he
writes supportive letters addressed to himself.
The fateful event that sets the plot in motion takes place when Connor,
another loner, picks up one of Evan’s letters and, several days later, commits
suicide.  When Connor’s parents find the letter, they mistakenly believe it to
be their son’s suicide note. Although Evan tries to stutter out the truth,
ultimately he cannot bear to tell them the truth of the letter, for reasons both
compassionate and self-serving. So Evan pretends to be Connor’s only friend
and fabricate a story of friendship, mutual understanding and kindness
between the two of them. His touching story makes himself popular,
important, even loved. After that, lies beget lies, events spiral — and go viral.
And… I think I’ll leave the rest of the story for you guys to explore.
Don’t even try to guess how the story plays out. “Dear Evan Hansen” is
continually surprising, but what’s impressive about the work is how, even
when a plot point questions credibility, the characters are always
psychologically true.
3. Broadway performance & actor Ben Platt: (optional)

I want to talk a little about the stage version of this musical and the main actor
that brought the character to life – Ben Platt. Well, he is impressive. There’s
obvious care taken in the way he presents Evan’s cringing smile, his
swallowed laugh, his habit of pulling at his clothes as though searching for
someone to hold onto. But all of these details feel lived, organic, unrehearsed.
And Platt’s ability to convey emotion through song is simply superb and often
deeply heart-rending.

4. Feeling
What gets me so fascinated with this gorgeous heartbreaker of a musical,
besides the melody, is the tiny little details woven around the pieces by the
writer’s great choice of words. In other words, it’s the kind of music that when
you take out all the music, you've still got a terrific drama. It portrays
faithfully yet creatively nuances in different kinds of relationships, while still
leaves space for intermittent injections of humor. *insert Sincerely me*.
I also fall deeply in love with the way the writer hides and makes connections
between small parts of different songs. For example, the first time I heard the
line “we start with stars in our eyes” (Waving through a window), I didn’t
really think much, just “yeah, nice verse, poetic, really cool”. And that song is
second in order. Then in track No.6, I noticed this sentence “You scribble stars
on the cuffs of your jeans” (If I could tell her). Everything starts making sense
from that moment onwards, and now every single time I catch the former line,
I always chuckle a little to myself. With every time re-watching the musical, I
realize another thing about it, whether it is the character’s emotion, the
writer’s wordplay or an inside joke that I haven’t been aware yet.
On a more personal note, I believe this song should appeal to just about
anyone who has ever felt, at some point in life, that he or she was trapped “on
the outside looking in,” as one lyric has it. Which is just about everybody with
a beating heart. And I see myself totally in those lines of the songs. I was and
have always been a shy kid, failing to voice myself properly and rarely taking
the initiative in things. I want to change and yearn for a chance to change but
said is easier than done. That’s why I said at the beginning that this musical hit
me on so many levels, not just my joy but also my fear and regret. All in all, I
feel empathetic and adore this musical a whole lot. *insert Waving through a
window*
5. Message
Talking about the underlying message, the musical has provided and
encouraged open dialogue about its themes of mental illness and youth
suicide. This is quite hard a topic to tackle, even in the big, connected and
open-minded world nowadays. Speaking on a brighter note, well… For anyone
who ever sat alone in lunch or break time, “Dear Evan Hansen” has an
enduring message: You will be found.
*insert video here*
“Even when the dark comes crashing through
When you need a friend to carry you
When you’re broken on the ground
You will be found
So let the sun come streaming in
'Cause you’ll reach up and you’ll rise again
If you only look around
You will be found (You will be found)
You will be found (You will be found)
You will be found”