ODT Review

Sophisticated Slice of NY Entertainment
Reviewed by Barbara Frame
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change is modern, witty and smart, and it's easy to see why it has established istself as one of New York's longest-running musicals.
There is no precise story line. Instead, a series of short scenes traces the process of romantic involvement from dating, through to shaky commitment to marriage, children and divorce, and on to a geriatric encounter at a funeral.
In the Fortune Theatre's production, four performers - Joel Allen, Tracey Bruce, Matt Hudson and Leigh Wilson - carry the acting/singing parts with huge vitality and professionalism, and onstage musical accompaniment is provided by Stuart Walker (piano) and Charmian Keay (violin). The music comes in a variety of styles, from Broadway musical to jazz and tango.
My favourite scene was the lament, sung by Leigh Wilson in a manner reminiscent of Ethel Merman, in which a perennial bridesmaid with a wardrobe full of never-worn-again dresses decides that never being the bride is really a lucky escape.
Other highlights included a scene in which baby-besotted parents oblige a guest to watch a slide-show of their offspring while the child lies sleeping in the next room, and the filming of a dating video by a vitriolic divorcee (Tracey Bruce), whose husband has left her for an older woman with a grandchild and a bad hip.
On Friday night, unfortuately, too many of the show's wonderful lyrics were inaudiable. This was partly because at times they were eclipsed by the (in itself excellent) accompaniment, but more worryingly because of the raucous behaviour of some members of the sponsored audience, whose obvious and noisy enjoyment diminished that of others.
With any luck, this irritant won't recur, and audiences will be able to enjoy every moment of this well-paced, sophisticated and very New York entertainment.

Chelsey Kerr - Drama Ambassador Kaikorai Valley College

I Love you, You’re perfect, Now change written by Joe Dipietro is the smash hit musical currently being performed at the Fortune theatre, directed by the combined exceptional talents of Douglas Kamo and musical director Stuart Walker.

I Love you, You’re perfect, Now change is a musical comedy that cleverly explores the trials and tribulations of love from single life, marriage to loss and heartbreak. The play reveals everything you have ever secretly thought about – dating, romance, marriage, lovers, husbands and wives, and in-laws that you were too afraid to admit. While the play tends to mock the ways in which people in love behave, there are some sentimental moments in the play which question the audience on the true meanings of the play and its relation to real life. One such example is the scene in which the husband realises just how much he loves his wife after thirty odd years of marriage. Its sentimental moments such as these in which the audience really contacts with the characters and are able to understand the play’s main themes and ideologies of people trying to connect with their significant other.

I Love you, You’re perfect, Now change is an actor’s playground, with over sixty different characters. The actors are able to portray different people represented in society at different stages of their love lives. The actors in this performance must be commended for their extraordinary talents to portray a range of completely different characters, in which we the audience can relate to and feel some compassion for on an emotional level.

I highly recommend I Love you, You’re perfect, Now change to anyone who enjoys irreverent and satirical humour but can also see beyond the humour and appreciate the true beauty of the musical. The true beauty lies in the knowledge that no one is perfect and just how important it is to appreciate and love your special significant other for who they are. Rating: 10/10