CONVERSATIONS WITH MOTHER

Review by Celia Ipiotis

For many young men, the mother/son bond is special. Look at all those superstar football players who immediately pay tribute to their mothers for their success. The love is deep and it’s unbreakable.

In Matthew Lombardo’s somewhat autobiographical comedy now playing at Theatre 555, Conversations with Mother eavesdrops on an Italian mother and son’s relationship. Simply and effectively directed by Noah Himmelstein, Mother, Maria Collavechio (Caroline Aaron) and Bobby (Matt Doyle) banter amicably and at times frustratingly for over 85 minutes. That there’s nothing remarkable going on only adds to the domestic quaintness and loveliness of the play.

It’s the unbridled days of the 1970’s and 80’s and Bobby is trying to find his way in the world. Always around to support him–financially and emotionally– the gravelly voiced Maria — joins him on his journey.  Blessed with a believable chemistry,  mother and son exchange quips like tennis pros chasing down clues and slamming retorts. Although Bobby is gay, and sleeps his way through the AIDS era, he never succumbs to the deadly illness. 

Charming and always showing promise, Bobby makes his way from his upper class home in the burbs to NYC. There he falls in love, loses his love, never really succeeds, but always retains his mother’s love and attention. Constantly on the phone with Maria, Bobby invariably needs something–money, reassurance or perhaps just the sound of her voice. Never failing to be there for her son, Maria’s unconditional love prevails. This love story, written by Matthew Lombardo, travels over 4 decades and during that time nothing monumental really happens except for the never-ending bond between mother and son.

Finally, when Maria is elderly and no longer able to assist, Bobby is there for her.

By absorbing the two generations’ movements through time, Conversations with Mother illuminates the ability of families to elastically stretch away from one another and pull back without causing a rupture.   

EYE ON THE ARTS, NY — Celia Ipiotis