Great Local Shows - Theatrical Reviews
| Title | I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change |
| Organization | Rocklin Community Theatre |
| Date(s) of show | February 8-24, 2013 |
| Reviewer | Dick Frantzreb |
| Review | This is the third time in recent years that I’ve seen
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, and I enjoyed this
wonderful cabaret show from Rocklin Community Theatre even more than the
first time I saw it years ago. In fact, this may be the perfect cast.
And that’s important because there are only four performers, and a lot
is riding on their talents. No problem here: each of these very
experienced people is an outstanding singer and actor. They have great
comic instincts and demonstrate remarkable versatility in the many roles
they are called on to play. The directing, too, shows many flashes of brilliance, and I have to mention one. There is a number where Christi Axelson delivers a monologue as a middle-aged, divorced woman making an Internet dating video. Although her bright humor lights up the rest of the show, the humor in this scene is dark. But the remarkable thing is that they set up a video camera on stage, and project her, full-face, on a screen off to the side. In every stage production, the audience is sitting at a considerable distance from the actors, and we settle for low-definition images in this age of high-definition TV. But with Christi’s face filling the screen, every nuance of her expression is visible. It is great acting, and for me on opening night, it was mesmerizing. But all these remarkable actor-singers have their moments of brilliance, as does the live combo (piano, bass, and violin) which sounds more like a full band. They are so good, in fact, that I had to ask at intermission if any of the music was prerecorded: their coordination with those on stage is seamless. And to give just one more highlight of this show, between vignettes they use that screen to display witty observations on love and marriage from famous people. I’d have to rate the show as PG-13, and even at that, I don’t think I’d bring my 14-year-old granddaughter to see it. Still, for those of us with experience of love and marriage, it’s a pure delight, full of both gentle and raucous humor – and a lot of heart. |
