‘Painful failures’: Why life doesn’t always have to be perfect for Eddie

Singer-songwriter, musician, comedian, writer and actor Eddie Perfect says while life can be less than perfect, he’s happy with his lot ... and even happier when there’s ice cream.

Eddie Perfect in concert. Picture: Claudio Raschella

Age: 47

Age: 47

Lives: Melbourne

Singer-songwriter, musician, comedian, writer and actor Eddie Perfect.

What do you have coming up?

Eddie Perfect (left) and Lyndon Watts in the new production of Candide by Opera Australia. Picture: Richard Dobson

I’m about to play the dual roles of Dr Pangloss/Voltaire in Candide at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, which opened this week, followed by the role of Beetlejuice in Beetlejuice The Musical! The Musical! The Musical! in Melbourne, opening in May at the Regent Theatre.

How would you describe yourself?

I’m a 47-year-old husband and father of two teenage girls who lives in Melbourne with a dog and three cats. Now that I’ve written that down, it seems like a lot of cats.

How do you think others describe you?

I don’t know if that’s any of my business.

What is most important to you?

Eddie Perfect with family in Central Park, New York City, the day after the opening of his musical Beetlejuice in 2021.

Family, art, music and nature ... and ice cream.

What is the last thing you read, watched, ate, listened to?

I just finished reading Famous Father Girl by Jamie Bernstein, an incredible memoir of life growing up as the daughter of the great American composer, conductor and educator Leonard Bernstein. He was the composer of West Side Story, as well as Candide, which I’m currently rehearsing for Opera Australia. I’m also listening to the 1991 London Symphony Orchestra recording of Candide, conducted by Leonard Bernstein himself. I’ve just started watching season two of Severance and, as I write, I’m eating a bowl of fruit and yoghurt drizzled in golden syrup.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A visual artist.

What has been the biggest obstacle you have overcome, or hardest hurdle in your life?

Eddie Perfect has had some painful professional failures but “my hurdles are surmountable”. Picture: Nicki Connolly

I’ve had some painful professional failures. A lot of them public. But I was born with supportive parents, a body and a brain that functions, and an education. It means my hurdles are surmountable, while others’ hurdles are higher and more frequent.

If you had one wish, what would it be?

That the internet turns off every Sunday.

Tell us a secret. What is one thing people may not know about you?

If someone’s bin is still out on the kerb the day after bin collection day, I’ll put my dog’s poop bag in it. But never on bin day. I’m not a monster.

What has been your proudest moment?

Eddie Perfect as Beetlejuice. Picture: Benny Capp

My proudest professional moment was the period of rewriting Beetlejuice between our out-of-town tryout in Washington DC and our opening night on Broadway. Myself, and co-book writers Scott Brown and Anthony King, had three months to turn the show around after some bruising reviews. It would have been easy to dismiss the negative feedback and cling stubbornly to our material, but with open minds (and a big red pen) we cut out anything that wasn’t telling our story of grief, death, life, love, family and home. And sandworms.

What has been your toughest period?

As a Victorian, seeing the effect the pandemic lockdowns had on my kids, and my kids’ classmates, friends and teachers, was horrible to watch. Every Victorian lost something in those years, some more than others, but I think our children suffered the most.

What do you wish we could do more about?

With wife Lucy Cochrane at the opening night of Mamma Mia the Musical in Melbourne in 2023. Picture: Sam Tabone/Getty

We need to do a lot more to protect women’s rights to autonomy, equity and safety, both online and IRL. As a matter of urgency, we should be doing more to end online sexualised abuse and harassment, coercive control and domestic violence, inadequate pay for predominantly female-staffed industries like childcare and nursing, while overhauling the way we treat female victims of sexual harassment and violence. At the same time, young men need to be shown that true masculinity affords women dignity and respect, recognising that we are all human beings who deserve to share space without fear, intimidation or ridicule.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

To fluently speak every human language.

What is the kindest thing anyone has ever said to you?

Eddie Perfect can still remember being in the primary school yard and having a kid ask him to be their friend. “Is there anything more pure in kindness than that?” Picture: Supplied

Kindness is kindest when the offerer has no idea what an impact their words make. If they did, it’d be pity, or charity, I guess. I can still remember being in the primary school yard and having a kid ask me to be their friend. Is there anything more pure in kindness than that?

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I’ve learned to accept, and even love, the less than ideal things about myself. In fact, many of my limitations have led to advantageous overcompensations I might not otherwise have discovered. So aside from a few ongoing, long-term projects that are more or less under my control (more patient, more loving, more conscientious with friendships, more focus, more songs, less ice cream), I am what I am.

Candide is now playing at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, until March 14