I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change

‘I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change’ - Everything you have ever secretly thought about dating, romance, marriage, lovers, husbands, wives and in-laws, but were afraid to admit - pretty much sums up this revue cycle which is not to be confused as being a musical, this is certainly not a musical. The show is made up of vignettes which freeze frame key points of the relationship cycle starting with the joys of getting ready for a first date all the way through to a senior couple of widows contemplating the possibility of starting the dating game all over again …at a funeral.

The scenes are made up of timeless stories that anyone in the audience can relate to. From a Stallone loving macho man who is dragged kicking and screaming to a chick flick, to new parents so obsessed with their offspring that they regress into baby talk at every turn, to women who are happy to be treated to dinner by their dull dates as they commiserate about the lack of single men worth dating.

These vignettes are equally filled with warm subtleties as much as they are filled with lofty punchlines. The subtlety was occasionally overshadowed for the gags. Direction by Mark Rosenthal was tender at times and he’d understand one vignette presenting it with perfection but would miss the mark entirely with another – the ones which seemed to fall short were the ones not prominent in humour. Mark devoted a lot of time to the technical aspects, PADOS have acquired some new lighting equipment and at times it felt as though we were being shown everything these new gadgets can do during this one production which didn’t really warrant half of what we were being shown, often distracting us from what we should be focused on. The overall presentation, design and ‘look’ of the production was commendable. Some of the scene changes did take a little longer than I’d have liked, perhaps a simpler staging idea would have been more beneficial.

The cast consists of four performers, all of which shine in their own right. Leading the charge is PADOS's resident funny man David Livesey. He is brilliant in the roles that require larger than life characters, such as the previously mentioned Stallone loving macho man in "Tear Jerk." One highlight of the second act is the widower’s scene where we see two strangers find love in the most unlikely of places, a wake. Rounding out the Y chromosome side of things is Ryan McMyler who shines in "The Baby Song" which is exactly what it sounds like.

I sensed that the intensity and demand required from each performer was taking its toll on the night I attended. I imagine rehearsals were cram packed for each of the four players and with a run which stretches across two weekends is quite an ask for such a small troupe to deliver a show with such demands on them as this. I do not question that each of these performers have the ability to perform these magnificent songs as intended but you can tell when a voice has been overworked.    

Angela Grady had many solid characters throughout the presentation but trumping her collection was her Rose Ritz’s dating video which I’m certain will be many people’s forefront memory of her performance and indeed the production. Whether she was a Stepford style wife or an East Coast Suburban mother her Mum game was on point. Sophie Lord also shines in her own right, showing a strong propensity for flexibility in the characters she played. She definitely had to tackle the widest age range, from annoying child in the back of the car to an elderly woman though, for me, her finest moment was the diffident ‘I Will Be Loved Tonight’.

Music was under the direction of Sarah Osmond. The on stage musicians supported the cast with vigour and helped to make the scene changes appear less timely. This show has some gorgeous harmony work and the its finale has some of the best. For “Keep coming back” which kicks off the finale, a decision had been made to keep this part in unison which was a great shame as it’s one of my favourite numbers of the show for ensemble work, they did include the harmonies later on but I appreciate that not many people know this show so probably wouldn’t have known the difference.  

This was an exciting choice of show to present - perfect for the PADOS House stage and so innovative to be offering a new genre of musical theatre to the local amateur scene.

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