In his 1934 book, the philosopher John Dewey argued that art is experience refined in the fire of imagination. This autobiographical musical traces the journey of young Matthew, who later becomes Levi, and tells the life story of its writer, composer, and leading actor, Levi Kreis. Raised in a rigid, fundamentalist Christian home that refuses to accept his homosexuality, and subjected to years of conversion therapy, Kreis is deeply traumatised by an upbringing marked by an absent father and an overbearing stage mother. The gifted musical prodigy will eventually win a Tony Award, but his unresolved emotional wounds lead him down a destructive path into drugs and adult film making. In this retelling of his story, Kreis confronts his younger self, sensitively portrayed by Killian Thomas Lefevre, and attempts to reconcile with his wounded inner child. He is assisted in this intense psychodrama by his sponsor Ben, portrayed with grounded warmth and quiet authority by Iffy Mizrahi. Like many works of cathartic autobiography currently seen on stage, Kreis assumes multiple responsibilities. He is responsible for the book, music, and lyrics, while also delivering a raw and earnest performance in the central role. As with similar projects, the question arises as to whether the creator has taken on too much. A further question is whether the final work meets Dewey’s definition of art, or whether it remains too much a direct transcription of lived experience that has not been fully transformed by imagination. In both cases, the answer is mixed. The songs are often effective and emotionally affecting, despite some clear stylistic echoes of other artists. The confessional tone works particularly well in the music, lending it sincerity and immediacy. The book, however, might have been stronger had there been greater distance from the subject matter and had the story been presented in the third person. Such distance could have helped avoid an occasional sense of self indulgence. As a performer playing himself, Kreis demonstrates polished professional skill and undeniable emotional commitment, delivering moments of vulnerability with intensity and conviction. Yet here too, a measure of detachment might have strengthened the portrayal. There is much to empathise with and to admire in Kreis’s story of survival and resilience, yet it falls short of the imaginative refinement required to become fully realised as art. Already Perfect does not quite live up to its title.
Rated: ★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Pamela Raith Photography
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