Presented by
Queanbeyan City Council.
The Q,
Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre until 5th May.
Reviewed by
Bill Stephens.
This is the
second production seen at the Q of this witty, perceptive slice- of- life musical
revue which premiered off-Broadway in 1996 and achieved a run of over 5000
performances before closing in 2008. “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change”
explores, through a series of songs and vignettes about being single, dating,
marriage, loss and heartbreak, the tribulations of pre-internet heterosexual
romance.
For this
production, director Stephen Pike has gathered
an accomplished cast all of whom impress
with their ability to create a collection of funny, colourful and quirky characters
to breathe fresh life into situations
which occasionally seem a bit cliché and dated. Among this versatile cast, Krystal Innes displays impressive vocal abilities in “I will Be Loved Tonight”, as does Christine Forbes with “Always a Bridesmaid”. Jenna Roberts provides many highlights among which are her poignant monologue, “The Very First Dating Video of Rose Ritz”, and her exuberant duet with Dave Evans, “Marriage Tango”. Nick Valois shares his best moment with a teddy bear, and Greg Sollis demonstrates unsuspected talents as a stud.
Consistently witty direction by Stephen Pike, sensitive accompaniment by Lucy Bermingham assisted by Vanessa Driver and Jason Henderson, combined with Brian Sudding’s cheerful, abstract set design adds a professional burnish to this delightfully entertaining show which is marred only by the clumsy scene changes that constantly interrupt its flow.