The Chapel Perilous is an Australian classic, and Sally Banner is now a national heroine. A major statement on the female artist's quest for freedom and self-realisation in a community uncertain of its standards, the epic play is full of lyricism, music, satire and self-parody. It traces Sally's life from school days, through lovers, attempted suicide, marriage and politics to disillusion. At the end of her life, the artist's ever-present sense of failure is ironically coupled with worldly success.