(From left) Marvin Ong, Gian Magdangal, Krystal Kane and Gabby Padilla in a scene from 'I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.' Jeeves de Veyra

“Find someone to love! Someone you think is perfect! And spend the rest of your life trying to change them.”

That, in a nutshell, is Repertory Philippines second offering for this season as “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change'' throws “I love you… because you’re you” out the window.

I’ve been a fan of this charming series of musical vignettes by Jimmy Roberts and Jimmy DiPietro even before the first Repertory staging back in 2006. Even with just listening to the cast recording, the songs were simple, catchy, and even familiar with musical nods to tango, western ditties, power ballads, barbershop quartets among others with hilarious lyrics inside short stories and skits.

This 2024 production features an updated version for the age of OKCupid, Tinder, and Bumble. Some outdated short stories have been cut out with the relevance of swiping left or right, and sending pics of eggplants via PM. Some pop culture references have been changed to make it relatable for a new generation (substituting Stallone for the Rock, for example). Some tonal changes reflect this not-so-enlightened age with monster trucks being a boring conversation piece instead of aerodynamic engineering.

But at its heart, it’s still the same play albeit with a much grander production and some interesting direction courtesy of Menchu Lauchenco-Yulo.

The grander production is both a big plus and a minor minus. As with a lot of modern productions, video projections are now the norm. For this one, the projections with interstitials reminded me of  a skit filled "SNL" episode; the music adds the hustle and bustle of New York. The music sounds more fleshed out with a bigger band compared to the original with just a piano and a violin. There’s one particular skit with just a couple of office chairs that remains intact being true to the off-Broadway history of the show. The quibbles are that with a cast of four, there are times that they disappear into the set and the vocals sometimes get drowned out by the instruments. Nothing that can’t be fixed in later runs.

As my wife kept commenting all throughout the performance, it’s just all so “cute.” Gian Magdangal, in particular, delights with cuddly cute characters that play against his towering stature, whether it’s a manly man about to tear down into tears or a daddy doing baby talk to a toy. Krystal Kane puts the cute into cringe while talking about her wedding dresses. And the two of them make a funeral morbidly cute as they navigate through dating at the sunset of life.

Gabby Padilla does her monologue in 'I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.' Jeeves de Veyra

Gabby Padilla gives a masterclass of emotion with a monologue in Act 2, more astounding as her selfie camera is projected larger than life on the RCBC stage. 

A special shout-out to Marvin Ong, whose heartfelt rendition of my favorite song in the musical that had me embarrassingly hold back tears in the audience.

And I think that’s what makes this musical so approachable. I thought that there is something to connect to no matter where you are on the highway of love. The song “Shouldn’t I Be Less In Love With You” used to be an aspiration back then in 2006, and in 2024, it’s my reality.

Marvin Ong sings 'Shouldn’t I Be Less In Love With You.' Jeeves de Veyra

Choose your own vignette -- of love that begins (or not), of love that stays, of love that fades, of love that restarts. The highs, and lows, and in-betweens.

Singles will either enjoy (or cringe at) the stories of choosy women, manly men, swiping left or right, and passive aggressive parents. Couples will heave sighs of relief that they’re through with that circus.  

That being said, this is not recommended for kids as mature themes are peppered throughout the PG-16 play

"I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change" plays to what Repertory Philippines has always been known for -- comedies with heart and amazing singing.

And that makes for a perfectly cute night of theater.

The cast at curtail call. Jeeves de Veyra

"I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change" runs until July 6 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati.