Why You Should Go See Wishful Drinking at the Geffen This Fall

I am not going to lie and say that I knew anything about Carrie Fisher other than the fact that she was Princess Leia, because I didn't. Then we went to the annual open house at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, where we saw a preview of Carrie Fisher's upcoming show Wishful Drinking. Not only did I learn that her talent extends far beyond playing a hot princess from a galaxy far far away, but I was thoroughly entertained; I think I laughed through 80% of her show.

I'm not a huge Star Wars fan. I am a child of the 1980s, and thus was a little young for the initial Star Wars craze. I discovered the joy of Star Wars when the original three movies were re-released in theatres in the 1990s. My younger sister fell in love with the Star Wars saga when the new movies were released over the past few years. She became obsessed and is know somewhat of a Star Wars cultist. When I saw that Carrie Fisher was going to be doing a free sneak preview at the Geffen, I thought that it would be a fun opportunity to spend some quality time with my little sister, and so we went.

The first reason that you should go see this show is because the Geffen is just such an awesome place. The theatre is has this wonderfully ornate atmosphere and has been revamped to include a beautiful lobby and very nice restrooms. Outside the playhouse is a quaint courtyard surrounded by ivy-covered pillars. It's like something out of The Secret Garden. The seats in the theatre are very comfortable, and it is a small enough auditorium that every seat has a good view. You certainly will not need binoculars to see detail.

Also, the Geffen is located in the heart of Westwood Village, which is such a fun, artsy community. I recommend coming early to take advantage of one of the nearby restaurants, all within walking distance. The atmosphere is certainly part of the experience and well-worth the trip.

Now about Carrie Fisher… What we saw was only a 30-minute preview of what the show in the fall, just some of the highlights. I believe that the purpose of such a preview is to spark interest in the full-length feature, and I must say it certainly achieved that purpose. The half hour presentation went by in what felt like five minutes, and when she was finished, I felt thirsty for more.

While Carrie has had a life filled with struggles, she had such a light-hearted comedic attitude towards it all. She discussed how Star Wars catapulted her into the limelight of show business, and at the same time ruined her life. To the joy of all the Star Wars junkies in the audience (my younger sister included), she shared many insider stories from the filming of the movies, all of which left us rolling in the aisles with laughter. She called George Lucas a sadist for insisting she wear skin tight clothing and then forbidding her to wear a bra. I think every woman in the audience cringed when she explained how her breasts were taped up with gaffing tape each day of filming. She shared some of her life story, including how she got into acting and a bit about her professional training. I knew that she had struggled with alcoholism, which she was able to joke about in the show, but I was surprised to hear about her many other struggles, including being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She again had everyone laughing as she described the two sides of her personality. She was even able to joke about her failed marriage to singer/songwriter Paul Simon.

Overall, I am convinced that Wishful Drinking promises to be an incredibly entertaining show, which I definitely plan on seeing. I encourage anyone within driving distance of Los Angeles to see this show. Star Wars fan or not, you will certainly be delighted!