Hold on to this gem!
It’s a fun game, trying to guess the content of a comedy show before it begins based on the pre-show and walk-on music. For Micky Overman, we have a section of roaring 20s jazz riffs, followed by ‘Take On Me’ by A-ha, which set an intriguing tone.
Over the course of the fast-paced and deeply humorous show, we cover Micky’s flight response, and why getting on plane isn’t always appropriate, as well as the challenge of an emergency exit seat. She deftly navigates the differences in the way she and others express their love to each other, even if an Excel sheet can’t tell her she’s pretty, and a salad bowl is impossible to return. We hear her thoughts on trying to conceive and why evolution hasn’t come through for woman, with a gloopy Pret encounter, as well as the emotional impact of going against everything woman are told not to do. There’s also some acutely observed observations about Millennial woman and relationships with pre-recorded fitness instructors who deliver back-handed compliments for our fortitude.
Some of the narrative threads jump around a bit, but generally all land where they need to. The Ozzy Osbourne vs bat tangent does go on for quite some time – and although the tab spiral is amusing, it’s a 42 year old story which is hard to make sound fresh, and got a bit a muted response from the audience. However, it did weave a thread through other parts of her story, and her innate charm kept the audience with her throughout.
Towards the end of the show, we touch on topics of mental health, proceeded by one word descriptions that are funnier than they should be – ‘jazz’ and ‘door’ are delivered with wide-eyed innocence that is hilarious and delivered with a lightness of touch.
For someone who is concerned about not having done ‘enough’ before having children, this show is a lovely example of someone taking on more than enough to create a great Fringe show. A highly relatable and heartfelt comedy – she probably has the Excel data to prove it too.