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I
Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change
Presented by: PEP Productions
Venue: Doncaster Playhouse
Reviewer: Jennie Brown
Date Reviewed: Saturday 20th June 2009
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change follows the lives of ordinary
people; numerous couples who are looking for a connection, the
reason to stay connected and the very complex challenges of
male-female relationships. Written by Joe DiPietro with music by
Jimmy Roberts, the show opened off-Broadway in 1996. Last night I
saw PEP Productions’ interpretation at the Doncaster Playhouse (with
the ‘One’ I love – who has never been perfect - but that’s another
musical!).
Essentially this show is a musical review. In Act 1 we see vignettes
depicting the drama of being single and in Act 2, the equally
confusing state of marriage. It chronicles the path of the dilemmas
of single life and follows the journey through to romance in the
twilight years.
Musical Director Rowland Brache played the piano and was accompanied
by violinist Nathan Sherry. The score is written for piano, violin
and bass and I felt that a bass may have rounded out the overall
sound. The musicians were set upstage in the OP corner which was an
odd choice (given they have no physical role in the show), but given
that there was no amplification of the performers, may have suited
the sound balance.
The Doncaster Playhouse is a very small performance space and sadly
for PEP an audience of about 30 people saw the performance Saturday
evening. Not a huge capacity theatre, perhaps 90 seats; however, it
is difficult to rehearse, prepare for and perform to such a small
audience. The venue was welcoming and the glass of wine available
before, at interval or after the show was most welcome. The theatre
itself was rather ‘cute’ and as we walked to our seats, the stage
was set with a table and chair and a couch. The actors used several
performance spaces as they used simplistic props to enhance the
scenes played out. At times the actors were not well lit or did not
find the light and this marred the impact of facial expressions.
Between each scene small appropriate cartoons or quotes were
projected onto the back wall of the stage as the scene was changed
by the actors. Cleverly chosen, they provided the audience with
numerous chuckles. This show was a series of contradictions in a
number of aspects. So much effort had been given to the projections,
yet other technical aspects let the performers down. No one was
credited with costuming and I am left to suppose that the cast
supplied most of their own costumes. This is evident when performers
come out after the show wearing parts of (and in one case, all of)
their final costume. Because the audience are so close to the action
on stage, attention to detail is important. Flesh coloured fishnets,
girls?
The foyer decorations were very simple, but the biogs on the wall
needed to be larger as no biogs were included in the program.
Whilst originally performed by four actors, Director Julia Roper
chose to have a cast of ten talented young performers. Some very
familiar faces appeared as the cast took to the stage in the opening
‘Prologue’. All of the performers have well documented theatrical
successes, most of who seem to have been on stage already this year.
Candy Sweetman and Adrian Portell were best seen in the ‘A Stud and
a Babe’ sequence, portraying the ordinary man and woman and their
dilemma of image on the first date.
Both performers found the humour of this piece and then Michael
Butler and Mario Mohorko’s rendition of ‘Why? Cause I’m a Guy!’ was
also funny and engaging. Brice Sedgwick reminded us all of the
‘chick flick’ versus ‘action film’ debate in his song ‘Tear Jerk’.
Michael and Kate Williams’ discussion during ‘The Lasagne Incident’
and her subsequent song ‘I Will Be Loved Tonight’ was another
amusing scene. Kate’s ‘Always a Bridesmaid’ in Act 2 brought back
memories of the movie ‘27 Dresses’ and equally frightful bridesmaid
dresses worn by this reviewer in her day as a professional
bridesmaid. Janette Diab made an impact as the ‘single gal’ breaking
up with her boyfriend in front of an
engagement-announcement-expecting parents. She also combined well
with Michael in ‘Marriage Tango’.
Lisa Athans made a beautiful bride and an equally nagging wife who
turns into a real shrew when her husband drives her. Jess Barlow
featured in a number of suitable character pieces. Her character of
‘Rose’ in ‘The Very First Dating Video of Rose Ritz’ was dramatic
and heartfelt. The monologue was, however, not quite believable –
she is not conceivably forty. Drew Downing’s performances were the
most memorable. He has really matured as a performer and has a
presence on stage which makes you watch his every move.
I certainly identified with the characters and though it has been a
while since I have been single, Act 2 was a reminder of life as a
married person. Having made those connections, I was still left
wanting a little more passion. I would also hope to see a little
more cohesion in the company during the second week. Although the
rehearsal period was brief, some performers did not seem to have
solid ideas of how they were meant to react in some sequences. I
wonder whether the treatment of this show is best left as a ‘four
hander’.
PEP deserves an audience to see this show. Obviously Julia and her
team have put much heart and sole into this production and it does
showcase the talents of ten capable performers. There are plenty of
laughs and if not ‘perfect’, certainly an entertaining evening.
Jennie has performed with numerous theatre companies including Fab
Nobs, Whitehorse, Catchment, Lilydale Athenaeum and CLOC, for more
years than she cares to remember. Last year she played Jeanette in
Catchment’s The Full Monty. A primary teacher, with post graduate
qualifications in Arts Education, she has taught drama, choir and
performing arts and been involved in all facets of stage craft,
including stage management, lighting and costumes. She has been
nominated for numerous awards by the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria
and The Lyrebird Awards. She is currently in rehearsals for SHooSH
Productions -The Musical of Musicals, in August.
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