When her husband forgets their anniversary, it’s life changing for Mrs. Parliament.

Opening this week at Neptune Theatre, Sheila McCarthy (the feisty blonde from CBC’s hit TV series Little Mosque on the Prairie) plays the lead in Mrs. Parliament’s Night Out.

It’s the latest comedy from Norm Foster, touted as Canada’s most produced playwright.

“It’s about a woman in her 50s who realizes she’s been taken for granted for 32 years of her marriage and she decides to go out to discover things outside the home,” he said.

Mrs. Parliament signs up for a plethora of classes including archery, bowling, and singing.

“And she falls in with a group from Narcotics Anonymous, so she takes everything that’s out there,” he said.

Foster said his lead discovers a ‘new her’ with the people she meets along the way.

Although no stranger to comedic roles, it’s a return to the stage for McCarthy after years of film and television work. She won Genies for her films I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing and The Lotus Eaters, and she won Geminis for her roles on Emily of New Moon and Sesame Street.

“She’s a dream to work with,” Foster said. “She’s such a pro and very funny in this part.”

Foster said he can’t remember what specifically inspired him to write this play.

“It just really came to me about this woman and being taken advantage of and being unhappy in her marriage and how she tries to turn her life around,” he said.

One of his favourite funny bits in the play is the diner scene in the second act when people from several of her classes converge on Mrs. Parliament.

“They’re pretty funny too, I think. I hope,” he said, laughing.