I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

I love you, you’re perfect, now change is an hilarious revue, presented by Hobart’s Show Company and Jeffrey Moore Productions, put the “ON” into ensemble.

Director Allan Jeffrey assembled a wonderful cast, many of whom had been in a previous production 10 years ago. The wonderful script from Joe Di Pietro, with music by Jimmy Roberts, is a lovely vehicle to showcase good entertainers, and that’s what we had here. 

Returning members Mandy Lowrie, Leiz Moore, Di Richards and John Xintavelonis were joined on stage by Josh Direen, Petr Divis, David Gilkes and Leah Venettacci. It is impossible to pick standouts in such a competent, well-rounded cast. From the very first moment that the cast entered from the audience, covered in monk-like robes and carrying lights (as candles) they played with our comedy response. Timing! Timing! Timing! John Xintavelonis, Leiz Moore, Di Richards, Mandy Lowrie and Leah Venettacci are great troupers, able to tickle laughs from every chance they get. Petr Divis and David Gilkes were wonderful and showed their experience and competence at every stage. Josh Direen, the early-twenty-something cast “baby”, already has an impressive list of achievements and successful shows to his credit, and will have a big career.

Did I mention the voices? This is a musical, and the songs were wonderful, presented by excellent singers. Di Richards has the voice of an angel - she can belt out anything, I mean anything, and still make us want to laugh and cry.

The New York Set Design was purchased from a Melbourne set designer, and was the perfect backdrop to highlight the cast. Costumes were co-ordinated by Leiz Moore. The red/ black/ white theme was striking. The musical combo, led by Iestyn Parry, and consisting of Perry and violinist Anita Schleebs was all that was needed as musical accompaniment.

I love you, you’re perfect, now change is about relationships, in their many forms, and something of a universal theme for a musical show, which may explain its success all around the world. Is the theme going out of fashion? Let’s hope not, and let’s hope that this standard of theatre keeps seducing crowds back into theatres and developing, not just performers, but audiences who want to be entertained.

Merlene Abbott