Mike Birbiglia is no stranger to performing comedy about his medical maladies. In his 2008 solo show (and subsequent 2012 feature film) Sleepwalk With Me, he told a story about his life-threatening sleepwalking disorder; in his 2019 special The New One, he talked about having bladder cancer, Lyme disease, diabetes, and varicocele repair surgery; and in his latest show, The Old Man and the Pool, he’s set to dig into his unfortunate genetic lottery results yet again. “My dad had a heart attack when he was 56, and actually his dad had a heart attack when he was 56, so I’ve always thought I should set aside that whole year,†Birbiglia jokes in the trailer. “Get an Airbnb by the hospital and keep a flexible schedule. I think that might be a big year for me.â€
Filmed in New York at the Vivian Beaumont Theater and directed by Seth Barrish, The Old Man and the Pool will see Birbiglia tackling “life’s big questions: Why are we here? What’s next? Exactly how much chlorine are they putting in the YMCA pool?†according to a release. Writing about the Broadway rendition of the show in November 2022, Vulture critic Kathryn VanArendonk referred to it as “a fitness journal†that avoids the worst trappings of that genre. “After finding peace in his role as a father, [Birbiglia] now has to confront all the anxiety and personal responsibility that role entails. In particular, he should probably do his best to keep himself alive and healthy, and his doctor raises concerns after Birbiglia gets alarming results on a lung-capacity test.â€
The trailer drops in on Birbiglia having the conversation with his doctor that sparked this realization. “I don’t even think professional athletes do cardio five times a week,†the comedian argues, prompting his doctor to suggest he take up swimming. Dive into The Old Man and the Pool when it hits Netflix November 21.