I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change

Subtitled ‘Everything you have ever secretly thought about dating, romance, marriage, lovers, husbands, wives and in-laws but were afraid to admit’, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change first opened off-Broadway in 1996 and closed in 2008 after more than 5000 performances. It has been translated into at least 14 different languages and produced everywhere from London to China, Norway to Turkey. In this version it has been adapted for Sydney audiences, with references to Tim Tams, the HSC, Long Bay Jail and the Coles/Woolworths dispute among other things.

The show opens and closes with the cast, hooded and cloaked as Mediaeval-style monks, making a dramatic procession through the audience, with 'Biblical' quotes about the fall of mankind and how men and women are made for each other. Then – bang!

With minimal sets and props (just four podium/rostra-like boxes – in red, blue, green and yellow – that convert to tables, chairs, beds etc), some use of video cameras and screens, and lots of costume and character changes, the fabulous cast under the excellent direction of Lauren Nalty bring us a hilarious yet poignant and moving show. Using a series of witty vignettes, with all the cast playing multiple characters, it examines life, love and relationships – from the nervous first date through the pressure to become parents and then old age and loneliness. Joe DiPietro's script is deliciously wicked and biting, though sometimes very close to the bone with awkwardly embarrassing incidents everyone can relate to.

Musically it ranges from quiet, tender love ballads to hot jazz and all-stops-out showbiz Musical numbers, from Strauss waltzes and opera to country and western. The small band of three, under the musical direction of Kane Wheatley, were excellent.

Highlights for me included 'Satisfaction Guaranteed', a delightfully naughty ad for a law firm, which had the audience in stitches; 'I Will Be Loved Tonight', sensationally sung by Jessica Shirley in a tender, excited and joyous performance as she dashes off to make lasagne; and the poignant 'Shouldn't I Be Less In Love With You?', which, as sung by Tim Watson, was heatbreakingly moving.

Watson also deliciously performed a hot and steamy tango with Tanya Boyle, both clearly having a whale of a time. And speaking of hot, a spicy speed-dating segment reveals the different expectations of men and women, which leads into the hilarious 'A Stud and a Babe', fabulously performed by Chris Malliate and Meg Day to show how appearances, body language and other messages sent and received on the first awkward dates can be deceiving. This segues to another hot number, 'Single Man Drought', that leads to the men's version (‘Why? 'Cause I'm a Guy’) – again showing the differences between the sexes.

There is some fun staging for 'On the Highway of Love', where we again see the dichotomy between male and female views – this time of cars and driving ... and relationships, marriage and horrid, whiny kids. Another fun highlight was 'Tear Jerk', where a man attends a movie with his girlfriend and the movie makes him cry, although he's determined not to.

In 'Whatever Happened to Baby's Parents?' Brad Facey steals the show as he regresses to the infantilism of a delighted new parent. 'The Very First Dating Video of Rose Ritz' is also a hoot, with a stellar performance by Phoebe Wynne. And Laura Sheldon brought the house down with her raunchy lament of 'Always A Bridesmaid'.

I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change had all this and more, performed by an excellent cast, all of whom shone brightly in their various moments in the spotlight. The audience whooped, hollered and hooted its enormous enjoyment and enthusiastic approval at the end of this fabulous show.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Regals Musical Society presents
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change
Book and lyrics: Joe DiPietro
Director/Choreographer: Lauren Nalty
Musical Director: Kane Wheatley
Music: Jimmy Roberts
Cast: Tanya Boyle, Meg Day, Brad Facey, Ryan Fisher, Lynley Fuller, Alessandro Gamba, Benjamin Hanly, Natasha Hoeberigs, Kelly Horrigan, Chris Malliate, Ellie McAdams, Paul Morrison, Laura Sheldon, Jessica Shirley, James Swain, Mal Tuck, Tim Watson, Phoebe Wynne

St George Auditorium, Kogarah
15–18 February 2012