Thursday, November 21

Tag: Ben Platt

Dear Evan Hansen – Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham
West Midlands

Dear Evan Hansen – Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

If you were born in this new century and nestle within the demographic that favours “Glee” “Big Bang Theory” then “Dear Evan Hansen” seems designed just for you. For those of us outside that very slim group it remains an anomaly. The show itself has an undoubted pedigree having opened on Broadway in 2016 with music and lyrics by Benji Pasek and Justin Paul (whose credits include the glorious “The Greatest Showman” and the awful sounding “Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz”) with a book by Steven Levenson, produced by Marc Platt and starring Ben Platt - note the shared surname making lesser critics wonder if that nepo-element may go some way to explain the show’s weaknesses, but, hey, it won nine Tony Awards! The show has toured endlessly, had a long West End, a badly received film - and people love...
Ben Platt Live – Radio City Music Hall
REVIEWS

Ben Platt Live – Radio City Music Hall

The American actor, singer and songwriter Ben Platt began his career as a child, performing in musicals such as The Music Man and Mame. He went on to appear in The Book of Mormon and originated the titular role in Dear Evan Hansen, earning a Tony award. His film credits include Ricki And The Flash, Pitch Perfect and Pitch Perfect 2. On TV he stars in the quirkily satirical Netflix series, The Politician. Netflix now bring to the screen a recording of the last night of his debut concert tour, filmed at Radio City Music Hall, New York in September 2019. If your expectation is a collection of show tunes with perhaps the odd soft rock cover to illustrate Platt’s versatility, think again. There is nothing from a musical, not even Dear Evan Hansen. The concert is composed mainly of songs co-w...