I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change offers a remarkably cynical outlook on romance while simultaneously failing to say anything meaningful about it. The musical, which made its off-Broadway debut nearly 30 years ago, wrapped up its run at Langham Court Theatre on February 8. While audiences seemed pleased, I couldn’t help but marvel at just how terribly this production, which is made up of short vignettes, has aged.
The opening number, “Prologue / Cantata for a First Date,” garnered in me an early sense of hope. The musical introduces a pseudo-creation story centred entirely around the dating game, drawing attention to the ritualistic nature of our romantic escapades. It was effective and comedic, and I found myself instantly looking forward to the remainder of the show. However, by the time two actors had entered the stage dressed like stereotypical nerds, complaining about being unattractive, that feeling began to dissolve.
The music was enjoyable and the vocal performances were mostly consistent. But, as this musical shows us, you cannot have your cake and eat it too. The lyrical content left something to be desired at almost every turn.
Honestly, were it not for the standout performances from Evan Roberts and Kait Regier, I’m not so sure this show would have been half as enjoyable as it was.
Roberts’ natural charisma breathed so much life into this production, and it was clear just how comfortable and confident he was up on that stage.
The show’s overall writing struck me as dated and stale, providing a theatre-going experience which felt strangely akin to being cornered by your newly divorced aunt at a holiday party. Although, in fairness, I can’t imagine it was too terribly easy to adapt a show about modern love when it was written three decades ago.
Despite this, there were moments of strength, including some strangely effective prop comedy, beautiful set design, and the occasional heartfelt scene.
A good example of this is near the end of the show, during the song “I Can Live With That,” where two elderly individuals flirt with each other at a funeral. Throughout the scene, these characters explore the complicated nature of getting involved with someone else after the love of your life has died. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once. I strongly believe this was the best part of the show, as it managed to accomplish everything that the rest of the production couldn’t: presenting the nuances of romantic love in a human light, with compassion and humour.
There is one lyric in that song that stuck with me: “One day, we’ll die/Today, we’ll live.” And this sentiment, I feel, should have been the crux of this production—give as much love as you can to the people around you, because one day, you won’t get the chance to.
Unfortunately, that is not what this musical chose to do. Every other song—every other scene—felt jaded, bitter, and awkward to watch. I’d consider this the perfect show for anyone who’s had their heart broken and sadistically wants to relive the experience with an outdated soundtrack. Although, if you’re unhappily married, you’ll likely enjoy this all the same.