⭐⭐⭐⭐
Judging by the reaction she has gotten at Fringe, Riki Lindhome’s comedy duo Garfunkel and Oates successfully crossed the pond during their heyday a decade ago. Lindhome also could have fans who’d seen her in any number of popular onscreen projects; among them, Big Bang Theory, Knives Out and Another Period. She also co-starred as the court-ordered therapist in the Netflix smash hit, Wednesday, which wound up playing a significant role in Lindhome’s real-life saga, yet only gets a minor footnote as she talks about her fertility struggles here for an hour.
“I hate that it’s called a journey,” she tells us.
And yet a journey she shall take us on, filled with more downs and emoji frowns than ups, but buttressed by a number of quirky, peppy songs, the likes of which Garfunkel and Oates fans would heartily approve. Lindhome sings about the mishaps of adults hooking up despite their adult-sized ailments, about wanting hysteria (but only as diagnosed in the 1880s), about asking your friend for his sperm (for fertility reasons!). Lindhome started IVF at age 34, found herself trying to adopt at age 41 during the pandemic, and in between suffered some tragic setbacks. Lindhome was still working out her hour when I saw it earlier in the month, but the kinks should be worked out by now.
More difficult, though, is the notion Lindhome shares with us about the levels of secrecy and shame surrounding early pregnancy that only lead to spiraling for women should they encounter anything less than ideal circumstances.
Slightly less difficult? Having to tell your kid not to Google their mom. Or their new dad?!?
Riki Lindhome “Dead Inside” plays at Pleasance Courtyard during the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe