In his new semi-autobiographical comedy Conversations with Mother, Matthew Lombardo examines the dynamics of the mother-son relationship between the feisty Italian Catholic matriarch Maria Collavechio and the gay free-spirited Bobby over the course of some 60 years, from 1966 to the present. The personal two-hander, under the masterful direction of Noah Himmelstein, runs the emotional gamut, from hilarious, to frustrating and infuriating, to affectingly poignant, as they traverse the highs and lows of their profoundly close, loving, caring, and sometimes painful bond, and he learns invaluable life lessons. It’s all told through their letters, talks, and phone calls to one another, in a series of twelve unceasingly entertaining and compelling segments, with a prologue and epilogue, that will keep you laughing, have you shaking your head at their mistakes or nodding in agreement at their insights, and leave you smiling while wiping away the tears.
Starring Tony-winner Matt Doyle as Bobby, who we see grow from a young child of eight, and Caroline Aaron – a singular treasure of both the stage and screen – as Maria, to the age of 76, the fast-paced and engaging show is buoyed by the palpable chemistry between the two top-notch actors, bringing full-out empathy to their relatable roles, credibility to the characters’ connection, and engendering our concern for them, the issues they face, and their abiding love and support of each other. Through it all, despite a number of setbacks, they remain not just mother and son but the closest of friends and confidants, owing to their mutual openness and vulnerability, strength and lack of boundaries, while always delivering the humor in their situations and interactions.
The episodes include navigating Bobby’s experiences at summer camp; misbehaving and lying about some things he did as a teen; her awareness of when he’s lying, slyly getting him to confess, and trying her best, but not always able, to control her temper (“Are you mad?” “No.” “. . . cause there’s more . . .”); his move away from home to NYC and night job at a gay leather bar (when he should be pursuing his dream of becoming a playwright); staying in an abusive relationship his mother repeatedly warns him about; his battles with alcoholism and drug addiction; her constantly being there for him and helping him through the worst of times; the loss of her husband and her ensuing loneliness; her continually expressed irritation with her annoying grandchildren; her happiness and pride in Bobby’s success on Broadway; and making plans for her own funeral (including writing her son’s eulogy to her – though he’s a famed professional writer). Though the topics addressed are serious, they are approached with laughter at the figures’ distinctive personalities, very human flaws, and over-the-top actions and reactions in their sidesplitting characterizations.
Doyle effectively changes his voice and demeanor to convey the different ages of Bobby from childhood to sexagenarian, and Aaron is consistent in her commanding attitude of his take-charge mother, whose silly mistakes (like her tendency to put “the” in front of everything, from illnesses to musicals – e.g., “The AIDS” and “The Carousel”) are pointed out by him but never corrected by her, providing one of several running gags in the show. Both are believably human and supremely lovable and have you rooting for them to get past their disagreements, to recognize how integral they are in one another’s lives, and to stay forever steadfast in their devotion to each other.
The outstanding acting, writing, and direction are supported by a terrific artistic design. Wilson Chin’s set is efficient and unobtrusive, allowing for the entry and exit of Doyle and Aaron through openings in the side walls, two chairs, a table, and bar that easily move around the stage and off, and a full-scale screen on the back wall for Caite Hevner’s projections, which identify the years and titles of the vignettes, suggest the locations of the story and the states of mind of the characters, but never distract from the central blockbuster performances. Lighting by Elizabeth Harper and sound by John Gromada (among the funniest bits in the show is the sound of a flute played by Maria’s unseen granddaughter) further enhance the circumstances and moods, and Ryan Park’s costumes, with hair and wigs by Tom Watson, authentically define the styles of the decades and the ages of Bobby and Maria.
Conversations with Mother is a laugh-out-loud funny, sharply insightful, and deeply touching tribute to the complex, close-knit, cherished connection between a parent and child – specifically here a mom and a gay son – which consummately delivers the over-riding message that Mother knows best, so listen to your mother; if Bobby did, it would have made his life so much easier.
Running Time: Approximately 80 minutes, without intermission.
Conversations with Mother plays through Monday, April 21, 2025, at Theater 555, 555 West 42nd Street, NYC. For tickets (priced at $49-159, plus fees), call (646) 410-2277, or go online.
