Meet the mothers in Dear Evan Hansen
To celebrate Dear Evan Hansen arriving at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tue 5 – Sat 9 November, Alice Fearn (Heidi Hansen) and Helen Anker (Cynthia Murphy) share what it’s like playing the matriarchs in the production, and how the musical explores the importance of hope.
Written by Liam Rudden
Alice Fearn and Helen Anker
When West End star Alice Fearn first heard the haunting score of the smash-hit musical DEAR EVAN HANSEN, she was hooked. The actor, best known for landmark roles such as Elphaba in Wicked and Captain Beverley Bass in Come From Away, recalls, “When DEAR EVAN HANSEN started in America, it was one of those productions that released the album before the show had actually opened. That album quickly became a phenomenon over here too, everyone was listening to it.”
It was around that time that Fearn was first contacted about possibly playing Heidi Hansen, Evan’s mother, the role she currently plays in the UK tour of the production.
Fearn explains, “I actually auditioned for the role when the show was coming to London in 2019. I’d like to think I was far too young at the time as they said, ‘No, no, no…’ to me playing the mum. Although I didn’t get the part then, that was my introduction to Heidi and I did get to grips with the script during that audition process.”
Now 40, Fearn is “dipping her toes” into what she calls the start of her “mother era”, something she is enjoying immensely. “I’m known for singing big massive roles but if someone asked me to go back and do Wicked now I don’t think I would because, at 40, I don’t have the energy I had at 33. It’s not that I don’t want to; I just don’t think the experience would be the same. I base jobs on their enjoyment factor, which includes the people I’m working with. In DEAR EVAN HANSEN everyone is absolutely adorable, the cast are lovely and funny, we all share the same work/fun ethic, there is a great team behind the scenes and a fantastic band; all these things make this a good job.”
Alice Fearn
DEAR EVAN HANSEN is the story of Evan, an anxious high school kid who wants nothing more than to fit in. When a classmate, Connor Murphy, struggling with drug abuse and depression, scrawls his name across the cast on Evan’s broken arm, it is assumed that Connor and Evan must have been close friends before, a short time later, Connor takes his own life. It’s a deceit Evan initially goes along with but, as events spiral and the truth comes out, Evan faces a reckoning with himself and everyone around him.
Joining Fearn in the cast is West End and Broadway star Helen Anker who plays the bereaved parent, a role she admits is “incredibly emotional”. Anker, who had watched the 2021 movie of the musical before taking on the role of Cynthia, says, “If you enjoyed the film then you’ll find the stage play has so much more impact. When we first had our first read through of the script, I realised just what a strong play it is. The dialogue is so meaty and great to perform, and then, of course, with the music on top of that, it’s phenomenal.”
Fearn chips in to agree, “A lot of people say it’s a play with music and I agree with that, but it’s like with the film Jaws – you can’t take away that iconic music as the shark attacks – it’s that ‘da da… da da… da da…’ that elevates the action. And that’s what the music does in DEAR EVAN HANSEN. It’s such a powerful score that the story is elevated by that music. Whether it’s a rock beat, the strings or an acoustic guitar, they all add to the emotional intention of a moment, moulding story and music together perfectly.”
Helen Anker
A study on the need to belong
The emotional nature of the piece is not just confined to the stage. For audiences too, it is a heart- wrenching study on the need to belong. “Audiences have been amazing and every audience is different – that is the joy of theatre,” says Anker, adding, “Without exception, you can tell that they are listening, and we are so close to them at points that we can actually see they are crying. The subject matter is close to so many people’s lives, especially if they have, or have had, teenagers affected by it. That’s the great thing about parents and children coming to watch the show together; it allows them to open that conversation, and if by doing that we help just one person every show, we’ve done our job.”
At its heart, however, DEAR EVAN HANSEN retains an important vein of hope, as Fearn is keen to highlight. “We are not trying to sugar coat life. People go through times where they feel like they don’t have a place in the world and parents do struggle. So, even if you don’t recognise yourself in these characters, chances are you will recognise people you might know because these are real people and real problems all around us in society right now. That’s why, at the end of the piece, the idea of hope is so important; like these characters, while we might be going through the darkest period of our lives, there’s always a way to find a place in the world where we can live for tomorrow.”
Alice Fearn as Heidi Hansen. Credit Marc Brenner.
Helen Anker as Cynthia Murphy. Credit Marc Brenner.
Mothering two Evans
While Anker is enjoying the challenges of her role, she confesses she is “loving” the break from not having “the pressure of leading” a production.
Having trained at the Royal Ballet School, she also smiles as she reveals, “It’s actually the first musical I’ve ever done where I don’t have to dance. What is lovely is that I get to act and that’s my favourite thing now. When you lead a show, the pressure that puts on you is enormous, wonderful but enormous. There are times in life when you don’t want to have that anxiety with you every day, when you want to do a show and have a life, and that is what DEAR EVAN HANSEN is for me. I’m loving it.”
Ryan Kopel, Richard Hurst, Helen Anker and Lauren Conroy in rehearsals for DEAR EVAN HANSEN. Credit Marc Brenner.
Fearn too is loving exploring her maternal side, although in her role things are slightly more complicated. She has not one Evan in her life, but two; Ryan Kopel stars in the production, while at matinees, the role is played by Sonny Monaghan. “Ninety per cent of my scenes are with Evan, so I work with the pair of them a lot during the show. Throughout my career, I have worked with a lot of alternates and they will all have a different rhythm. Their interpretation of those very same lines can be absolute polar opposites and we have that with Ryan and Sonny.”
After a moment’s thought she adds, “I haven’t got a different Heidi for each of them, but it is very different when I’m on stage with Ryan to when I’m on stage with Sonny and I love them both. It’s lovely for me to have those different interpretations to interact with, especially as I get both on the same day… I just have to keep up with them.”
Ryan Kopel and Alice Fearn in rehearsals for DEAR EVAN HANSEN. Credit Marc Brenner.
Sonny Monaghan and Alice Fearn in rehearsals for DEAR EVAN HANSEN. Credit Marc Brenner.
Leeds Heritage Theatres
Leeds Heritage Theatres is Leeds Grand Theatre, City Varieties Music Hall and Hyde Park Picture House. A registered charity, together we make a significant contribution to the Leeds arts and cultural landscape; providing heritage spaces for people to share experiences of live performances, screenings and events. To help us achieve our vision of advancing the arts in Leeds and inspiring the next generation to keep telling our stories, we rely on your generosity and thank you for your kind donation (which is fully invested in our buildings and projects).
