I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.

“Ensemble : a group of people or things that make up a complete unit (such as a musical group, a group of actors or dancers)”.

Ensemble is an overused word in theatre. Quite often it is used to refer to the chorus. Marie Clark Musical Theatre have chosen a truly ensemble theatre piece in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change and have cast it with an incredibly talented team of four performers. Having said that, there are really eight, two casts of four, the Rose team (who feature in this review) and the equally talented Trentell cast!

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, book and lyrics by Joe DiPietro and music by Jimmy Roberts, is the longest running off-Broadway revue in history and now been revised for the 21st century!

The production is presented in the form of a series of sketches connected by the central theme of love and relationships. The play's tagline is "Everything you have ever secretly thought about dating, romance, marriage, lovers, husbands, wives and in-laws, but were afraid to admit." With few exceptions, the scenes stand independent of the others, but progress in a fashion designed to suggest an overall arc to relationships throughout the course of one's life.

 A first date, for example, comes before scenes dealing with marriage, and scenes dealing with marriage come before those dealing with child bearing.This hilarious revue pays tribute to those who have loved and lost, to those who have fallen on their face at the portal of romance, and to those who have dared to ask, “Say, what are you doing Saturday night?”

Director Adam Goodburn (well known to State Opera patrons) balances the music and dialogue equally. His staging is simple but effective, often just two chairs and a table which suit the intimate setting of the Parks Theatre perfectly. Goodburn helps his cast develop over 50 characters, all believable, some hysterically funny, some heart rending.

Matt Redmond’s musical trio, Nerissa Pearce, Shelley Walker and Matthew Rumley, provide well balanced accompaniment while still being soloists in their own right.

While there is not a lot of dance in this production, there is plenty of movement. Choreographer Rachel Lee has cleverly tailored this movement to her performers to maximum effect.

As mentioned earlier I saw the Rose cast – Robyn Brookes, Trish Hart, Greg Hart and Josh Kerr - with a little help from their props manager Chris Cromb, all well known to Adelaide theatre audiences. It would be unfair to single out any one performer so I will highlight some of their scenes.

Robyn Brookes’ ‘Very First Dating Video of Rose Britz’ takes us on a journey of a woman yearning for love and upfront about her requirements. Alternately hilarious and tear jerking, this scene was a highlight.

Trish Hart’s ‘Always a Bridesmaid’ is Dolly Parton on Scotch! She is a reminder of the hell bestowed to bridesmaids buy their well-meaning brides. I will never look at Dom Perignon or a bridesmaid the same way again.

Greg Hart’s ‘The Lasagna Incident’ is sensitively played alongside Josh Kerr. Hart gives us a respectful, vulnerable performance as a man who is insecure initiating a same sex date. This is contrasted with his macho role in ‘Why, Cause I’m a Guy!’

Josh Kerr’s unwillingly vulnerable character watching a tear jerker with Trish Hart is a riot, beautifully contrasted with his ‘Silence of the Lambs’ game show co-host.

For me, the highlight of the night is ‘On the Highway of Love’. The four performers propel their swivel chairs imitating the front and back seats of a car all over the stage while enlightening us to the joys of a family drive together. This was ensemble playing taken to the extreme!

These are only highlights, the production has so much more!

My only reservation with this extremely slick evening’s entertainment is the pausation in some of the act 2 sketches which tended to slow the pace.

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change! is a highly entertaining evening that will give you a good laugh and perhaps a tear or two as you recognise yourself in some of the sketches/songs!

Barry Hill