I Love You, You’re Perfect,
Now Change

Second longest-running musical comes to town.

By Byron Toben

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change is the second longest-running musical.

Read to the end of this review to find out which was the first longest-running musical.

Prolific Joe Dipietro finally gets this audience blockbuster performed in Montreal. Segal Centre audiences got a taste of his clever scripting in 2009 with his non-musical Over The River and Into the Woods, about Italian family closeness.

The closeness in Perfect, with music by Jimmy Roberts, is between some 58 couples or wannabe couples that could be of any background. They and their relationships are exquisitely performed by four actors, named only Man 1, Man 2, Woman 1 and Woman 2.

Their real names are Steffi Didomenicantonio, Will Lamond, Adrian Marchuk and Tringa Rexhepi.

This quartet are all triple threats as they act, sing and dance mixing precision with abandon. Choreographer Kerry Gage’s movement contribution stands out.

Despite a lot of wild oats sown, this piece is a paean to love and marriage, which, if they no longer go together like a horse and carriage, work out, with a few compromises On The Highway Of Love.

Movable Plexiglas cubes and giant size props — coffee cups, pencils, etc. lend a playful feel to the whole. Credit set designer Marjolaine Provencal. The many cute costumes designed by Louise Bourret created heavy traffic for busy stage manager Rachel Dawn Woods.

The wonderful on-stage band of David Terriault (piano), Kate Maloney (violin) and Evan Stewart (bass) kept things moving along without missing a beat in the 20 some songs.

The opening song, Cantata For A First Date, gets three reprises. It isn’t until the final scene that the title song of the show, ILYYPNC, finally appears.

In between, lots of catchy tunes as the gals suffer Single Man Drought, discover that not everyone is A Stud and a Babe, suffer through impatient parents until Always a Bridesmaid turns into a Marriage Tango and The Baby Song.

Despite a lot of wild oats sown, this piece is a paean to love and marriage, which, if they no longer go together like a horse and carriage, work out, with a few compromises On The Highway Of Love.

And that, I suspect, is the secret of its popularity.

Oh yes, the longest-running musical.

Why none other than The Fantasticks, based on a story by Edmond de Rostand (author of Cyrano) and starring the late Jerry Orbach (later famous as the acerbic cop in Law and Order). Young love never goes out of style.

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change continues at the Segal Centre until May 29.

Tickets at 514 739-7944 or buy tickets online

Images: courtesy of Andrée Lanthier

Byron Toben is the immediate past-president of the Montreal Press Club