Nikki Aitken, Rachel McCall and Susan Ferguson in Mother, Wife and the Complicated Life; image supplied.
This is the start of something big for this witty musical comedy that depicts real life to a tee.
Writer, producer and performer Amity Dry has nailed it with Mother, Wife and the Complicated Life. This sassy, tell-it-how-it-is story seems so obvious it’s a wonder no one has thought of it before. Mother, Wife and the Complicated Life follows four women as they navigate the highs and lows of life in a world filled with mobile phones, too much multitasking and mothers’ group meetings where everyone lies about how well their babies are sleeping.
The show provides a refreshingly honest commentary on things we often gloss over. You know, things like how your best friend turned into a Bridezilla for the six months leading up to her wedding day, or how you’ve stopped shaving your legs for sex, or how sometimes married life just isn’t all that much fun.
Mother, Wife and the Complicated Life is like the Disney fairytale story of ‘happily ever after’ without the make up. Dry’s creation magically traverses the lives of four very different women in a way that invites the audience to care for all of them for their uniquely adorable and sometimes irritating ways. It’s a slick production with a simple but impressive set and supporting characters that are implied but not present.
The dynamic cast of Amity Dry, Nikki Aitken, Rachel McCall and Susan Ferguson keeps the audience engaged throughout. Each performer seems confident in her role and the performers spark off each other in a polished and genuine way, which makes you think they’ve been working together for a while.
The musical’s creator Amity Dry is clearly a genius. In real life she juggles the roles of singer, songwriter, mother, parenting blogger and winner of The Block, and she is utterly engaging in the role of high-flying businesswoman Kate. Bravo to this real life superwoman who seems to be showing the rest of us how it’s done.
While the overall effect could still be achieved effectively if a few of the show’s numbers were cut, Mother, Wife and the Complicated Life is at the same time an enjoyable and sobering ride for the audience. It’s no wonder this show made it to the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2013. It’s slick and snappy, with witty lyrics and belly laughs aplenty. However, those stuck in the honeymoon bubble should be warned: this story may destroy your illusions!
Take your mum, your sister, your long-suffering husband or your best friend – if you’re still on speaking turns after her Bridezilla episode – to this entertaining and honest account of life as a modern woman. You’ll laugh, you’ll sigh, you’ll cringe, but best of all, you won’t feel so bad about not having your shit together. Because, as Dry generously points out, nobody does.
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
Mother, Wife and the Complicated Life
Chapel Off Chapel
​Cast Amity Dry, Nikki Aitken, Rachel McCall and Susan Ferguson
Director: David Lampard
Book and Music by Amity Dry
