A Dublin comedian is set to present a dark comedy about fertility struggles and baby envy at next month’s Fringe Festival. Lianne O’Hara’s show, titled Baby, explores themes such as jealousy, fake pregnancies, fertility clinics, unsolicited advice from strangers, and the challenges of navigating a world where friends in their thirties are having children.
“I wanted to address these issues with humor and a dark edge, focusing on the envy that can arise when you feel left out of the baby boom around you,” O’Hara told the Irish Independent.
The play’s central character, Camilla, is a 36-year-old woman yearning for a baby. While Camilla tries to remain happy for others, she also grapples with feelings of inadequacy and the question of why she hasn’t yet had a child. She faces tough decisions about whether to wait for the right partner or pursue motherhood on her own, considering options like sperm banks or fertility clinics.
O’Hara also noted that recent changes in Irish legislation influenced her writing. “We’ve made progress in accepting various family structures, whether it’s straight couples, single parents by choice, or same-sex couples,” she said.
Her own experiences with fertility clinics and legislative changes informed the play. O’Hara recounted the challenges she faced when she and her ex-girlfriend explored having a child using donor sperm. She highlighted the outdated law that required the birth mother to declare herself as a single parent, which has since been changed to allow both parents in same-gender relationships to be listed on the birth certificate.
O’Hara believes that this year’s Fringe Festival, which features several shows about fertility and reproductive issues, reflects a growing openness in discussing these topics. She hopes her play will resonate with audiences who recognize the deep desire for children and the realization that achieving this can be more complex than anticipated.
Baby will be performed at The New Theatre in Temple Bar as part of the Dublin Fringe Festival from September 19-21.
