Don’t you just love the title? I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. That’s an oxymoron if ever there was one, but it is pretty accurate! The show tells the tales and stories of dating, from first date, to commitment, to heartbreak, to children and everything in between. Ever felt ill at the sight of your loved-up couple friends with babies, talking in a baby voice to you, when you’re single and enjoying microwave meals for one for company, making you feel that you’re going to end up with a one way ticket to spinsterhood and cats-ville? Ever felt head over heels about someone with all the craziness and love-struck madness that only love can bring? Ever been on a date where every moment is cringe induced? Ever hoped that a guy would call you? (Yes, I know we’re all independent and busy and we would never keep checking our phone in the hope that someone would call us, as we’re just, you know – so busy, cough, cough). This show wraps and covers everything about the dating game absolutely perfectly, from dating, to marriage, to children, to divorce and returning back to love again.
David Ribi and Nic Kyle are brilliant actors and the perfect pairing to Sarah Goggin and Chloe Taylor. Sarah Goggin gave many outstanding turns and her singing ability is pitch perfect. Our only slight criticism is that Chloe’s accent has a hint of oop north about it, when she slips out of what is meant to be a purely New York American accent, which happened on a couple of occasions, from what was otherwise a great performance. David Ribi gave a charming and thoroughly enjoyable performance and he’s also got a great set of lungs on him, too! New Zealander Nic Kyle gave an excellent performance and you could have been forgiven for thinking that he was a native American, as his accent and tone was spot on. Bravo to the cast for thoroughly entertaining the tiny audience from start to finish and delivering the script with perfect comedy timing.
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change is currently enjoying its run in London and the venue is one of the most quirkiest venues that we’ve been to, The Battersea Barge. The Battersea Barge is moored on the banks of the River Thames, near the Battersea Power Station and one look outside of the tiny window on a hot and calm summer evening in London, you feel as if you are anywhere but in the middle of the bustling metropolis and the calming and relaxing atmosphere makes it feel very homely and welcoming. Adorned with fairy lights inside, it provides the perfect tiny stage for this hilarious musical comedy.
The only problem is that sadly, the show isn’t on for a long run and we can only hope that it will make a swift return, as we’d quite like to take a few of our friends to see it! The script is so well written, with endless comedy and one liners throughout and the lyrics in the songs add to the humour, even more so. We really haven’t laughed so long is a long time and can clearly see why is has been such a success in its native New York, where it ran for more than 10 years, securing the record as the second longest running musical in off-Broadway history.
