I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE

This musical comedy, with book and lyrics by Joe Di Pietro and music by Jimmy Roberts, was the second longest running Off Broadway show – from 1996 to 2008 – and was nominated for the ‘Outer Circle Critics Award. It is presented as a series of ‘vignettes’ connected in the theme of ‘love and marriage’.

With only seven people in the cast they were kept very busy. All were dressed in black trousers and tee shirts, which allowed  pieces of costume to be added very quickly between short scenes. Connecting the scenes was Jay Walsh as a cross between Marcel Marceau and Freddie Parrotface Davies (or Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean)! Slinking on between scenes to show a blackboard on which was written the title of the following scene, he never failed to make the audience dissolve in fits of laughter without saying anything. I thought he was brilliant! The other six people in the cast appeared in different pairings in scenes depicting different periods of life – dating, rejection, weddings, married life, first baby, driving arguments,, married bliss, funerals etc. The script and song lyrics were very clever and so hilariously true to life that the audience found themselves laughing in recognition of themselves as well as laughing at the actors! It is difficult to pick out individuals as all – Emma-Jane McKnight, Emma Nugent, Orla Russell, Gareth McGreevy, Jamie Johnston and Matt Demster – were versatile and impressive.  Jamie and

Emma-Jane were very funny as “A Stud and a Babe”, as were Gareth and Emma  in “The Baby Song” and as the disappointed parents when their son announced his breakup with his girlfriend, depriving them of a wedding and grandchildren! Emma’s Cherryvalley voice was hilarious! In “The Family that Drives Together” Jamie and Emma exploited many a family car journey in hilarious manner and Orla sang “Always a Bridesmaid” with great humour – although I didn’t think her bridesmaid’s dress was nearly ghastly enough! Matt’s comedy scenes, such as “The Married Tango” with Emma-Jane were well interpreted too and in “Shouldn’t I be Less in Love with You” (the only non-comedy scene in the show)

he sang beautifully. In the final scene – Funerals are for Dating – Gareth and Emma presented a bittersweet

view of two elderly people looking for love and companionship in their later years, which was both poignant and funny. Ending the show as they began – all dressed as monks and singing the title song – the cast fully deserved their standing ovation.

Staging was simple but effective and the creative team produced a humorous, slick and professional piece where the three piece band, lighting and sound, stage team  and actors blended seamlessly together.

Many thanks for inviting us and for the hospitality.

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