Naphtali’s (Taylor Trensch) world-famous performance artist mother (Cynthia Nixon) disappeared suddenly seven years ago. And yet, he sees her everywhere: in the faces of friends, coworkers, the guy he’s flirting with. When his mother returns with few answers and a major request, Naphtali is forced to confront what he’s spent years trying to forget. A funny, deeply human mystery of mothers and sons, coming of age, and coming apart. This production marks a return to The New Group for Cynthia Nixon, where she directed Rasheeda Speaking and Steve, and appeared on stage in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, directed by Scott Elliott. This marks a New Group debut for playwright Jordan Seavey and Taylor Trensch.
The Seven Year Disappear circles around questions about artistic practice and purpose, growing up as if your life is not your own, and the conflation of identity and consumption. But Seavey seems uninterested in engaging with these ideas directly and thoroughly. The characters never share their views on the purpose of art, particularly in the context of using one’s own life as material. There’s no detailed engagement with art as processing or capital or exploitation. At most, Naphtali confesses he’s “fucked up” because of his relationship with his mother's work, but such a straightforward declaration betrays the play's lack of linguistic imagination.
But after watching Nixon playing such weak-willed (but well-dressed) TV women—Miranda on And Just Like That… and Ada on The Gilded Age—it’s a thrill to see her as the uncompromising Miriam. Incidentally, it’s been seven years since her last New York City stage appearance (The Little Foxes). Let’s hope she doesn’t, well, disappear for so long next time.
2024 | Off-Broadway |
New Group Off-Broadway Premiere Production Off-Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2024 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance | Cynthia Nixon |
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