What happens when 4 comediennes get together to talk about motherhood? When they’re performers Erin Keaney, Fiona Carver, Precious Chong and Sarah Carver, along with co-writer and director Linda Kash, they put on a show, of course!
Erin, Fiona, Precious and Sarah collectively have 7 children between them, all under the age of 8, so they know what they’re talking about.
Says Sarah “The funniest thing about comedy isn’t when you’re trying to be funny, it’s when you’re being honest.”
“And look what we have to work with!” adds Fiona.
They’re about to remount (no pun intended) their hit “PUSH One Mother of a Show” for the 4th time next week, which is why I turned to them and asked for advice for my friend Sweeney.
When I tell them he’s about to be a dad for the 1st time, and that he and his wife are both actors, laughter immediately erupts along with cries of “Run! Run!”
Sarah thoughtfully says “They’re both actors, so they’re both probably very adaptable to the highs and lows. They have that going for them. The first year of life with baby, if I could put it in 1 word, is scramble. It’s a scramble.”
Precious adds “It keeps it interesting, the juggling of it. The whole sense of ‘how am I going to do this? I don’t know!’ But you do. And then you’re like “wow”.”
“You know, getting pregnant and having all these things happen to my body and realising ‘nobody told me this, this is B.S.” pipes in Erin. “My sisterhood are not opening their mouths and telling us what’s was going to happen.’ And I think that’s important, especially when it concerns my vagina.”
“And your bum,” quips Sarah.
Fiona jumps in and adds “Somebody’s gotta tell us. Somebody’s gotta say you’re not the only one who sometimes has to have wine after dinner and the kids are asleep.”
After??
But Fiona gets serious as she also says to tell them to “give yourself permission not to worry about money for a couple of years or else you’ll drive yourself crazy.”
“Also,” says Erin, “you will have “baby luck”. My husband got a lot of gigs as soon as the
baby was born. Oh and if she pumps and he does the night feeds, then she will love him looong time.”
Precious is a little more reflective. “2 actors is actually a pretty good life style for kids, because you get lots of time off. And sometimes one of you is working nights and which works out well for balancing.” But she adds that Sweeney may have to tread a bit softly. “She’s just had a baby. When you’re an actress, so much of what you do is about image so you start worrying ‘who am I?” and ‘will I ever work again?” And you’re hormonal. As a male actor, you just keep working. So can be tricky to navigate that.”
Sarah says “My big advice is to have date nights right from the beginning, at least once a month, even if it’s just coffee, or a walk. And you don’t talk about the baby, just about you. Oh and also, make muffins. Lots of muffins.”
“Muffins?” asks Fiona.
Sarah nods. “Because when you’re feeding, your blood sugar drops so fast and you need easy snacks around.”
“Oh ya,” says Erin. “And water by the bed.”
“If he’s on television,” says Precious, “then he’ll get this, he’s sort of 24 hour…craft services.”
“If she needs something, he’ll go,” adds Fiona.
I have to go too but I wish 
I didn’t. Stories of Mormon strip-a-grams, dance recitals and maxi pads, priests and sex therapists abound, and the easy going, keenly insiteful attitude of these women is contageous. If I’d only had some cocktails and child care handy, I would have hung out with them for the rest of the week.
Fortunately we all get a chance to hang with them at the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto from
May 4th to May 8th, (which makes it a great Mother’s Day treat!) A cross Canada tour is in the works, so friend them on Facebook to see when you can catch them next.
By the way, Sweeney still hasn’t had the baby yet. He says he would absolutely love any advice you can give him about being a father and a husband to a new mother.