I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

If the smash off-Broadway hit I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change has it right, dating rituals haven’t changed much since the days of Adam and Eve. Unfolding as a series of unrelated vignettes, this musical revue takes audiences through the modern relationship life cycle as it pokes fun at the idiosyncrasies of couples, married or otherwise.

The first act traces the travails of dating, casting a knowing glance at the games lonely singles play as they wait for a love that may never come. Act two looks at the changes that can occur after couples tie the knot, covering such milestones as parenthood, divorce and the death of a spouse. By turns saucy and satirical, the show also features poignant episodes that are true to life. In ‘Shouldn’t I Be Less in Love with You?’, a man reflects on his relationship with his wife as they follow their daily routine, the initial ‘zsa zsa zsu’ – Carrie (Sex and the City) Bradshaw’s word for lovey-dovey butterflies – in their marriage having long since faded.

The Singapore production of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change is directed by Australian Darren Yap (Miss Saigon, Steel Magnolias) and stars Filipino-Australian dandy RJ Rosales, Singapore’s Cynthia Lee MacQuarrie, Australia’s Leanne Ansell and British musical theatre actor Richard Meek (last seen here in The Rocky Horror Show). For any reader who is considering a trip down the aisle, here’s a bit of trivia: this show is touted as being extremely ‘marriage proposal-friendly’. During its run in New York, more than 50 men took to the stage to pop the question to their girlfriends – all of them said yes. So if you’re looking to get your partner in the mood to marry, this might be the ideal opportunity. Lisa-Ann Lee

See: Interview with RJ Rosales.