Here's the perfect musical comedy for anyone who has been attracted to the opposite sex or the same sex, bewildered by the dating game, mating rituals, marriage, the transformation into parenthood, and the crazy world we live in!

Directed by Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo (her return to directing after a 12-year hiatus), this staging by Rep stars Gian Magdangal, Gabby Padilla, Krystal Kane, and Marvin Ong. A nimbler, stronger ensemble cast would take a lot of work to come by, as all four take on all comers, essay various roles, and produce winning interpretations.

The musical is renowned as the second-longest-running off-Broadway musical, and it’s easy to see why it has achieved this status. It’s smart and witty, and the lyrics are often hilarious or poignant, hitting the mark about the delicious irony of relationships. As the title suggests, it’s about how we’re so full of contradictions regarding love and pursuing people we're attracted to. We praise them to the high heavens, declare they’re perfect as partners, and then spend the rest of our lives together trying to change them.

Structured as a series of unrelated vignettes, the musical is a showcase for the cast to don several roles and personas and to interact as couples, as a trio, or with all four in focus. What’s great to watch is how all four prove they are bona fide triple threats - acting, singing, and moving (as I wouldn’t necessarily call it dance). And I’ll commend Director Menchu for discovering ways to ensure that all four stand out and leave lasting impressions.

While Gian would be the most known member of the four-man cast and has his turn as an old man attending funerals (Funerals Are for Dating) as his showstopper, it’s nice to watch him interact with the other three and be as giving as needed. Gabby Padilla is a beautiful revelation, hitting notes easily and proving to be a crowd darling when she plays the over-eager, tennis-playing date. My highlight was her ‘Very First Dating Video of Rose Rita’.

You’ll hold your breath when Krystal Kane plays a bridesmaid in a Country and Western Song that’s outright, side-splitting funny - Always a Bridesmaid. And what can you say about Marvin Ong after he sings the plaintive ‘Shouldn’t I Be Less in Love With You’ - and wonder why we don’t see more of him?

You’ll laugh knowingly when particular scenes address topics like how people we know are transformed when they become parents or how we're all hostage to our parents' expectations — look out for those numbers. In short, we were all guaranteed a great time. The musical debuted in 1996, but it’s been easily updated to allow for more current dating customs.

Two more weekends, as the show closes on July 6, so trust me on this and reserve your seats. You’ll see yourself, your friends, and even your exes and enemies in this musical, and enjoy it!