The Disappear

 The Disappear
Audible Theater at Minetta Lane Theatre
January 21, 2026

Photo courtesy of The Disappear

Playwright/Director Erica Schmidt creates truthful and humorous characters in The Disappear.  The relationships are compelling and realistic, allowing her theme to be viscerally understood.  Love, fame, and creativity can easily disappear in a moment, unless effort and value are put into their viability.  When they’re gone, they can be rebuilt or recreated.  If that is not possible, a simple fabrication can keep things in perspective. 

Filmmaker Benjamin Braxton (played by Hamish Linklater) finds his muse in young upcoming actress Julie Wells (played by Madeline Brewer).  His wife, Mira (played by Miriam Silverman) is tolerant of Ben’s indiscretions.  She is fully dedicated to their twenty-year marriage.  Ben’s producer, Michael Bloom (played by Dylan Baker) refuses to cast Julie Wells, and drops the project.  When Ben starts a new project to feature Julie, she insists he hire Raf Night (played by Kelvin Harrison Jr.) to star with her.  Raf is big box office, so Michael Bloom agrees to back it.  When Raf insists Mira, who is his favorite novelist, writes the screenplay, the creative process gets extremely complicated. 

Hamish Linklater & Miriam Silverman
Photo courtesy of The Disappear

Hamish Linklater plays the role of the neurotic, self-possessed, egotistical movie director to perfection.  His timing and mood swings are both humorous and genuine.  Miriam Silverman balances his quirky character by being grounded and sincere.  They are wonderful together.  The dynamic of their relationship is clear from the very first scene.  The complications they face cause them to poke at and spar with one another.  Again, this is both comic and genuine, until it hits the point of no return.  They admit the truth, make a spontaneous decision, then face an imperative transformation. 

Anna Mirodin, Madleine Brewer, & Hamish Linklater
Photo courtesy of The Disappear

Madeline Brewer is charming as Julie Wells.  At first, she comes across as naive and flirtatious.  As the action rises, her controlling and manipulative side is revealed.  Ms. Brewer portrays this dichotomy beautifully.  Kelvin Harrison Jr. has a strong presence as Raf Night.  He seduces Mira, getting her to agree to write the screenplay with Ben.  Mr. Harrison and Ms. Silverman have strong chemistry, adding a layer of intrigue to the plot.  Raf opens up to her about his background, giving Mr. Harrison a chance to dive into the complexities of his character.

The character of Michael Bloom acts as a foil for the conflicts.  Dylan Baker builds a dynamic character in this role, making it an effective catalyst for the action.  Anna Mirodin plays Dolly, Ben and Mira’s teenage daughter.  She observes all the events of the story, even though she is unseen by her parents.  She reflects the turmoil they are feeling and sets up the transformation they all need to experience.

The Disappear is playing at Audible Theatre at Minetta Lane Theatre though February 22.  The characters are well developed, and the performances are equally strong. 

Domenick Danza