Review of ‘Already Perfect’: “Gay coming-of-age musical bio sings but doesn’t grow or live on”

The King’s Head Theatre hosts the London premiere of Levi Kreis’s semi-biographical musical about a successful Broadway actor haunted by the shadows of a traumatic past. Guillermo Nazara shares his views on the show to let us know if this reflective piece of storytelling is a mirror worth looking into.

There is one fundamental rule when it comes to musical theatre writing, and that is that the score, lyrics, and book must not be penned by the same author. Very few examples beg to differ, and Jonathan Larson’s Rent might be the only modern exception. Overall, it’s a cautionary tale for those considering overstepping regarding their tasks — and a fair warning to those daring enough to witness the results.

It comes as no surprise that Already Perfect brags about something that it can’t deliver. Not only is it far from impeccable, but its faults are the piece’s most defining trait. Its shallow approach, dramatic overload, and lack of originality create a frail basis for the material. Inevitably, it cracks. And the sinking is almost immediate.

Any regular consumer of gay theatre probably shares the same frustration I’m trying to convey through these lines. After so many pointless, repetitive, and uninspired shows dealing with exactly the same topics again and again, they don’t disappoint anymore, and you can only hope to be caught off guard by a stroke of brilliance every now and then. This wasn’t the case.

A Broadway actor walks into his dressing room. Tears pour from his eyes. Despite the fame and recognition garnered over the years (including one Tony Award), his latest performance has been disastrous. He feels broken inside. And he’s tempted to go back to a past he fought so hard to escape from. With the help of his sponsor (he’s a recovering drug user), he will come to terms with his younger self, so he can finally move away from the memories that have haunted him for so long.

Every story has been told. And certainly, this is a premise we’ve encountered thousands of times both onstage and in real life. That doesn’t make it any less suitable for a new work. Its inability to present it in a fresh and more authentic way, however, is another matter.

There are just so many themes a 100-minute play can encompass. That is, of course, if the intention is to explore them in a compelling manner. Song and book writer Levi Kreis has inundated his main character, a semi-biographical version of himself, with conflict and opportunities for growth, but he refuses to take him and the viewers through that path.

Matthew, which happens to be a Westernization of Levi, is living with AIDS — fortunately, in today’s world, which doesn’t mean a death sentence anymore. He grew up in an abusive household, with a histrionic, overbearing mother and a cold-hearted father. His religious upbringing coerced him into enduring six years of conversion therapy, where he met and lost his first love. He was also betrayed and outed by his alleged friends, and had to survive as a sex worker before making it as an artist.

It may be true -at least, to some extent-, but it’s too much to portray in such a limited time. Consequently, the protagonist’s arc is infuriatingly sketchy. Despite the songs’ attempts to delve into his emotional journey, the whole thing comes across as a vapid, soap-operatic plot where tragedy is bolstered for the mere sake of it.

None of the recount’s turns resonates, simply because they are not given enough room to do so. The script has moved on to another subject by the time we’ve begun to care, which is something its clumsy execution already makes difficult enough.

The book has a lot to answer for in that regard. Ultimately, it comes across as a filler rather than a relevant tool to advance and give profundity to the plot. The lines are clunky and artificial — at no point do they display the sass and wit they think they brim with. And the annoying, unjustified metatheatrical style only worsens the problem.

Kreis’s music is undoubtedly the sole redeeming feature in this muddled concoction. On the whole, the songs are tuneful, sentimentally rich, and even catchy on some occasions. His pastiche folk-rock sound is instantly gripping despite some occasional repetitiveness. And for the most part, they serve their narrative purpose adequately.

His craftsmanship with melodies isn’t matched by his ability as a librettist. The lyrics are decent, but neither the content nor the form is polished enough. There are some interesting rhymes, without any standouts. Yet, the verses are tarnished by too many “la-la-la” sections and a general lack of subtext and depth. The wordplay is also unrefined, with samples as flat as “I’ve been excommunicated from my own community”.

The cast’s greatest accomplishment is their singing. Beyond a few slightly out-of-tune instances, Kreis, Killian Thomas Lefevre, and Yiftach Mizrahi flaunt competent and sometimes impressive vocals. There’s also chemistry onstage, but sadly, their acting is weak and unlayered — rarely does it feel genuine, and their narrow register while playing other roles only underpins the issue.

There’s a pulse to this show, but its beats are muted by an avalanche of unresourceful elements, whose sole contribution is burying the piece and its appeal. There are so many poignant subjects this show could have tackled, and so many ways it could have done it, but it must choose one out of the hundreds it’s tried to assemble all at once.

As the performance concludes, the lead’s older version tells himself he doesn’t need to prove anything. The real-life character might rest assured of that. Yet, if he ever does, this musical shouldn’t be used as evidence.

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All pictures credit to Pamela Raith.

Already Perfect plays at London’s King’s Head Theatre until 15 February. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara