Four women, whose lives are linked through a café and friendship, each find themselves confronted by the realities of being a woman in a harsh world. There is Lily, the owner of the café, who seems to have it all, including a newly emptied house thanks to her boys going on a gap year. Then there is Bec, the feisty mother of three who still manages to maintain a sense of humour. Lawyer Kate, single and ambitious, brings some youth to the group, as does Jess who has just returned from abroad to catch up with her friends. Over the course of roughly a year, these ladies will run through a minefield of experiences that will test themselves and their friendship.

The Perfect Life is the latest iteration of the musical which began life in 2009. With book, lyrics, and music by Amity Dry, it is clear that she feels this is a work that needs to be regularly brought out and improved. There is much to admire here. Writing a musical essentially on your own and not only getting a run in Australia but the US and the UK as well is nothing to be sneeze at, and Dry deserves many plaudits for continuing to champion this work that clearly has special significance for her. Taking on the role of Lucy, Dry reminds the audience of how wonderful her singing voice is and she connects deeply with the songs her character sings. She brings a motherly warmth to the stage that serves as the anchor point to the rest of the cast.

She surrounds herself with some phenomenal talent both onstage and off. Local performer Dee Farnell, fresh from wowing Adelaide audiences in Come From Away last year, brings the sass as Bec. Her songs (especially solo “The Day I Was Chosen”) are some of the musical highlights of the show and the audience reaction to them are loud and prolonged. Farnell’s singing is in a class of its own, although her dialogue felt a little stilted at times.

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With all that being said, this is absolutely well worth seeing. The performances alone are engaging and vibrant - and darn it, it’s good to see Amity Dry back onstage again - and the story is one that will resonate with so many people in the audience, especially the females. The professional look of the show is a credit to the production team. It is an enjoyable and emotional night out that will leave you thinking for a long time after.

Any chance to see a local performer write something as bold and striking as this is something that should be championed by audiences wholeheartedly. This is a magnificent show for anyone who wants to see how well Australian musicals can sound. Full credit to Amity Dry for continuing to work on the show and bring to the very appreciative audiences.