My husband and I just went to see the closing performance of Carrie Fisher’s one-woman show “Wishful Drinking” at Hartford Stage.  [follow their link to see a hilarious promo for the show and hear an NPR interview with Fisher].  I have to say this is one of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen, even funnier than “Postcards from the Edge.”  What a way to humanize the subject of mental illness without looking like a “freak.”  [although she is a “specimen” in an abnormal psychology textbook, which uses a photo of her as her “Star Wars” character Princess Leia)

She started off by stating that she had recently undergone a course of ECT, so if she blanked out or lost her place  that was why (she did use a teleprompter although didn’t look at it much).  The act covered a lot of ground — her scandal-ridden family history, her acting career, her marriage to Paul Simon, and of course her multiple experiences with rehab and psychiatric hospitals.   Her mockery of George Lucas and the whole “Star Wars” experience aftermath (including her own special class of stalkers) was especially funny.   I wish I could remember more of the brilliant one-liners — the only one that sticks is “Marx said that religion was the opiate of the masses, and I’ve taken masses of opiates.”

I also liked her idea of having a bipolar pride parade — the depressives could staff the floats from their beds if needed,  while those who were manic could have marching bands.

It’s too late for those in Hartford to see the show, but if it comes to your town, I highly recommend going to see it.