Lyricist Ryan Cunningham and composer Joshua Salzman were fellow music theatre students at NYU when they put together their show, ‘I Love You Because’, which has been described as a musical retelling of the Jane Austen novel, ‘Pride and Prejudice’ with the genders reversed. Their show, which premiered off-Broadway in 2006, comes across as a chic, quirky take on the New York dating scene.
How’s this for starters! The scenario has a double date that has been organised on J-Date, a Jewish on line dating service, where none of the four people, brothers Austin and Jeff, and the women they meet, good friends, Diana and Marcy, are Jewish!
And for mains, the unlikely romance that develops between a sentimental, very conservative, uptight greeting card writer, Austin, and a very bohemian, forward thinking photographer, Marcy. It’s a case of opposites not only attracting but complementing each other.
And for desert, not only do the odd couple, Marcy and Austin pair off, but also so do Jeff and Diana, and two very young, hip, cynical New York bar workers, simply called New York Man and Woman.
From its cynical beginning, and with plenty of twists and turns along the way, ‘I Love You Because’ ends up being a celebration of romance. The Shire Music Theatre’s revival, directed by talented young director Cheryl Butcher, with its high energy cast, all in good voice, and well supported by a lively five piece band, is true to the show’s resilient spirit.
Christopher Malliate did well in the play’s meatiest role as greeting card writer, Austin, who has to lose some of his soppiness and inflexibility to win the heart of Marcy.
Lauren Kenyon was luminous as bohemian photographer Marcy and showed off a lovely voice in two ballads, ‘Just Not Now’ and ‘Even Though’.
Philip McIntosh and Bridget Keating worked well together as the couple, Jeff and Diana, who start off free and easy and then find that their needs are different. Their issues came out clearly in their well delivered duet, ‘We’re Just Friends’.
Joel Leffler and Lauren Kate Butler did some lovely comic work as a couple of crazy, hip bar workers, and had their best moment performing the cynical ballad, ‘The Perfect Romance’.
The dominant, permanent feature of the set design (Bridget Keating, Ross Howie and Cheryl Butcher) was a ‘cut-out’ of the classic New York skyscraper skyline with vibrant sunsets and vivid purple and pink neon lights. The other set items were portable, including a bar area, a dining room table, and a double bed, all of which were quickly able to be moved on and off the stage, as required.
The show was a light, refreshing night at the theatre, just right as Sydney reaches the cusp of Spring. ‘I Love You Because’ opened at the Sutherland Memorial Arts Theatre, East Parade, Sutherland, on Friday 20th August, 2010 with the season closing on Sunday 29th August, 2010.
