So this isn't really as much of a review as it is going to be a little rant like, which I very much apologize for in advance.

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So I was introduced to this show by a friend who had seen it on Broadway and really enjoyed it. At that time the cast album wasn't out except for Waving Through a Window. So when the album came out I listened to some of it and I didn't really like it so I kind of just ignored it. But I started getting a lot on Pinterest about it so I looked up the plot and though the plot is interesting I don't like the characters.

I know I'm supposed to like Evan but I can't get behind what he does. For reference, Evan has extreme social anxiety and doesn't really have any friends, except for a boy named Jared who is almost his friend. He has a therapist who tells him to write letters to himself. So one day he's writing the letter and this boy named Connor finds it and takes it. Connor is a drug addict of sorts and he is outcasted by his family because of it and the fact that he is abusive in some way. So Connor commits suicide and his family thinks that Evan's letter was his suicide note. So then Evan tells them that he and Connor were friends, when they weren't, which is fine and innocent. But then he fabricates this entire life with Connor and he makes fake emails and tells lie after lie after lie. Because of this he becomes internet famous and falls in love with Connor's sister. He also is able to give speeches and overcomes his social anxiety. He also grows apart from Jared and upsets his mother. Ultimately, he is forced to tell Connor's family the truth but they never tell anyone else. Zoe (Conor's sister) doesn't talk to him for a year but ultimately forgives him and then Evan finally learns to accept himself.

So I understand why Evan does what he does. I understand that he panics due to social anxiety. I understand that but it does not make it okay necessarily. And I know you guys are probably like 'wow how can she say that she likes characters like Erik and Sweeney Todd who do way worse things' and I know that's true! What I really like about those characters is the depth and lessons we can learn from them. Also I really like analyzing characters, specifically the complex ones like Erik or Sweeney. I appreciate the character of Evan for what he can teach us but he's not really interesting to analyze or anything. That may be because I haven't seen it but this is based on what I know. What bothers me even more about Evan is that it's just more realistic of a situation. I know what a major loss like that can do to people, I've seen that in real life and giving them hope only to have it ripped away in the end in so cruel. I know that wasn't his intention but it's slightly cringey to watch him do that when I know it's going to backfire. It makes the entire listening and probably the watching experience less enjoyable for me because I dread the part of the reveal and I hate to watch his life unravel. I know I'm so awful but I don't know I just can't like him!

Also Connor wasn't a nice person at all and then all the other characters seems very lackluster and a bit boring.

I've already talked about the music, it's just not my thing.

Okay and I may be absolutely wrong in this but I know that some people can relate to Evan and find hope in that, and that is absolutely wonderful! That's so amazing and I'm so happy that people can find themselves in this! But isn't the rest of the musical a little bit disheartening? The way he gets over his social anxiety is by becoming popular by a false story, that's not really attainable for most people. I find that maybe the musical would be more impactful for me and maybe others if they showed a more realistic story of him accepting himself and over coming his social anxiety. I hope that's not insensitive to say, it really is just my opinion I'm sorry if it offended anyone!

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I'm really sorry for the rant, I just thought since the musical is so popular I should throw my two cents in! I feel bad for disliking it but I hope I wasn't too harsh or mean. These are just my opinions and if you like this musical I of course mean no offense! It's probably a perfectly fine show, I'm just really not into it!

Also sorry if it's annoying that I updated twice in one day! I'm just still so excited about the Tony's haha.