Posted: 3/18/17 at 9:01pm
Usually, 95% of the time, I prefer Act 1 to Act 2 of a musical or play. Not the case with DEH. I was more engaged trying to figure out how the rouse would be found out and resolved. This reminded me of the films Fargo and A Simple Plan, where one small action, fueled by the protagonist’s lust for some value or fortune, sets things spiraling out of control. The speed that things happen today online is dizzying. To say the production was relevant to the trouble some people get into online is putting it lightly. It's also amazing to me what people put online for all the world to see forever. But I digress.
One issue I had was why didn't Jared spill the beans? He doesn't like Evan and is only friends with him because their moms are friends and so his mom will pay his car insurance. But with a secret as big as Evan’s I didn't buy Jared just going with it AND even helping Evan by crafting the emails. I get that Jared’s character was needed so Evan could more easily voice his feelings. But he is seeing a therapist, why not use the therapist sessions to let Evan tell us what he’s feeling? Or bring Connor's ghost back more often for more conversations.
This is a minor quibble. As someone who had very few true friends growing up the production resonated very strongly with me. It challenged me to revisit my past, which I'm completely fine with, now, in my fifth decade. I liked it greatly, and I'll continue to think of its themes themes for quite awhile.