The Seven Year Disappear

 The Seven Year Disappear
The New Group
Pershing Square Signature Center
The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre
February 24, 2024 

Photo courtesy of The New Group

Jordan Seavey’s The Seven Year Disappear is mind blowing.  The New Group production is masterfully conceived.  Director Scott Elliott found a style and pace for the play that viscerally conveys the nature of the relationship of the two main characters.  The ending delivers an unexpected satisfaction that leaves the audience in a state of amazement.

Miriam (played by Cynthia Nixon) is a performance artist.  She is managed by her son, Naphtali (played by Taylor Trensch).  He just got her a commission from MoMA.  She is thrilled, and gets to work right away.  Miriam disappears the day of the MoMA announcement.  Naphtali is in a state of panic.  He starts drinking again.  He hires an investigator.  He turns to his mother’s previous manager, Wolfgang, who has not heard from her.  Naphtali realizes the disappearance is all part of Miriam’s new piece.  He turns his back on the art world, and starts working on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.  Seven years later, as he is getting his life together, Miriam returns, expecting Naphtali to be part of the final phase of her seven year project. 

Photo courtesy of The New Group

Cynthia Nixon and Taylor Trensch deliver fascinating performances.  In addition to Miriam, Ms. Nixon plays numerous roles (Wolfgang and other friends and connections of Naphtali).  Her transitions are seamless.  The style in which it is written demands you listen carefully in order to find out who these characters are and how they relate to Naphtali and the disappearance of his mother.  Ms. Nixon is bold, daring, and commanding in each of these roles.  She grabs your attention, spikes your curiosity, and lures you into the journey.  

Taylor Trensch & Cynthia Nixon
Photo courtesy of The New Group

The character of Naphtali is complicated.  He is lost and searching, more for himself than for his mother.  Mr. Trensch peels back layers one by one to reveal a vulnerable core.  You are as uncertain as he is as to the reality of his situation, upbringing, and future.  At the end, it all lands in a place of knowing and a sense of calm.

Playwright Jordan Seavey has crafted a unique piece of theatre.  The scenes are out of order, causing the audience to piece the events together.  The play is carefully structured to provide details that answer the questions as they flood your mind.  This continuous reveal creates a forward moving action that keeps you fully engaged in the characters and their story. 

The Seven Year Disappear is playing at Pershing Square Signature Center’s Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre through March 31.  It is mesmerizing and powerful.  Don’t miss it! 

Domenick Danza