Broadway performer Levi Kreis is confronting his personal demons head-on in a powerful new stage production in the capital. His semi-autobiographical musical, Already Perfect, is running at the King's Head theatre in London, offering audiences a raw and emotional journey through his past.
A Journey of Confrontation and Healing
The show's title reveals its ultimate conclusion, but the path to that point is fraught with struggle. Kreis plays a version of himself, a performer who stumbles off stage after being dumped by text mid-matinee. Facing a crisis after 11 months of sobriety, he is tempted by crystal meth, but is guided by his sponsor, Ben, played by Yiftach 'Iffy' Mizrahi, to face his inner child through music.
This confrontation materialises with the arrival of Matthew, Kreis's younger self, portrayed by Killian Thomas Lefevre. This confident younger version leads the older Levi through a painful history marked by conversion therapy, rejection, drug abuse, and destructive relationships. The dynamic between the two selves forms the emotional core of the piece, as they argue and gradually find a way to reconcile.
Music as Salvation and Struggle
While the dialogue is noted for its direct, often tearful lack of nuance, leaving little to the audience's interpretation, it is the music that provides complexity. Kreis's score moves compellingly from Pentecostal revival sounds to Nashville-inspired sorrow. A particular broken-hearted ballad is described by the younger Matthew as "Aretha meets Tori Amos."
The melodies carry the addictive rhythms of old-time religion and the dramatic pull of heartbreak, illustrating how these forces have both sustained and harmed the protagonist over the years. On stage, Kreis uses his formidable voice to full effect, delivering each song with palpable, heart-on-sleeve intensity.
A Dressing Room Transformed
Director Dave Solomon and designer Jason Ardizzone-West have turned a simple, workaday dressing room set into a dynamic theatrical space. The production uses clever effects where piano chords trigger coloured lights, costumes spill from a wardrobe, and a snap of the fingers cues a spotlight or a prop descending from the ceiling.
The undeniable talent and sincerity of the piece, anchored by Kreis's commanding performance, makes for a compelling evening. Already Perfect continues its run at the King's Head theatre in London until 15 February, presenting a stark yet ultimately hopeful story of self-discovery and hard-won peace.
