BWW Reviews: Adobe's I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE is Hilarious Because it's True!
I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PEFECT, NOW CHANGE is an entertaining musical romp through the significant stages of love and relationships. Presented as a series of vignettes, the revue begins with a first date and ends with an attempted pick-up in a funeral parlor.
First produced at The Westside Theatre in NYC in 1996, I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE - written by Joe DiPietro, with music by Jimmy Roberts - went on to become the longest running off-Broadway musical show ever, with more than 5,000 performances. It has since been translated into more than 14 different languages.
It's easy to see why this show has struck a chord with so many people around the world. The production that opened at the Adobe Theater on August 10th delivered laughs by the dozen and, even if the references are a little dated here and there, the material clearly remains timeless.
Who can't relate, for instance, to the awkwardness of that first date, the agony of waiting for the phone to ring, or the distractions of driving with unruly kids in the back of the car?
The characters-two male and two female-are played by just four versatile actors, who switch roles and relationships with each scene. The cast members, Brian Clifton, Jimmy Finch, Jessica Fisher and Tasha Waters, have reasonably fine voices, though they did seem to suffer from opening night nerves towards the end.
I have to say that the casting appeared to me to be somewhat strange. This is a generic journey down the path of love and romance and the characters are meant to represent your typical, average people. It was, therefore, something of a distraction to be presented with four completely different body types, from very tall and extremely thin, to not so tall and extremely fat. Some consistency of physical form would definitely have been a plus and would have provided a much more credible vehicle for the material.
And the women's costumes were, at times, disconcertingly unflattering, some looking as though they had been picked up, at the last minute, at a resale store. But that's a minor gripe and it certainly doesn't prevent this from being a wonderfully entertaining, as well as thought-provoking, evening.
But be warned! I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE has apparently inspired several proposals of marriage among the audience during its various runs. So, do be careful whom you choose as your theater buddy. . . but do yourself a favor and don't miss it!
Contact the Adobe Theater at (505) 898-9222 or at www.adobetheater.org for details and tickets. Show runs through September 2nd.
Photo courtesy of the Adobe Theater.
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