Mother Play (Broadway) NYC Reviews and Tickets

87%

(508 Ratings)

Positive

90%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Great acting, Absorbing, Entertaining, Cliched, Great writing

About the Show

Paula Vogel's poignant new play, starring Jessica Lange, explores family dynamics in 1962 D.C.

Acclaimed Pulitzer Prize recipient Paula Vogel, known for How I Learned to Drive, unveils a brutally funny and candid new play that explores the enduring grip our families hold on us and the unexpected revelations when we confront our history.

Set in 1962 near Washington D.C., the story follows matriarch Phyllis (Jessica Lange) as she oversees her teenage children, Carl (Jim Parsons) and Martha (Celia Keenan-Bolger), settling into a new apartment. Phyllis imposes her firm convictions on her children's futures, unwilling to tolerate deviation from her expectations. Fueled by gin and cigarettes, the family navigates the evolving world. This compelling narrative blends elements of imaginative theatrics, surreal farce, and profound tenderness, offering a captivating journey that uncovers timeless truths about love, family dynamics, and forgiveness.

Show-Score Member Reviews (92)

Profound, Masterful, Intelligent, Great writing, Great acting

See it if you want a complex play about motherhood and parenting and accepting your kids, A fan of the cast and the playwright,

Don't see it if You dont like gay plays, want something more lighthearted and less challenging

Familial, Emotional, Quirky, Heavy, Piercing

See it if Absorbing performances by all three leading players.

Don't see it if HIV/AIDS topics are triggering

Resonant, Relevant, Profound, Great acting

See it if You are a big fan of Jessica Lange, Jim Parsons, and Celia Keenan Bolger. They provide excellent performances.

Don't see it if The show seemed to need a little more fleshed out in the story to create more of an emotional impact. Could be developed as a two act show.

Predictable, Dated, Great acting, Cliched

See it if you are a fan of the three actors and want to see them at the top of their game. Their acting carried the show and kept it engaging.

Don't see it if if you want a show with new insights. The book was disappointing and predictable, and the ending was slow.

Banal, Dated, Cliched

See it if you love Jessica Lange and or plays with dancing cockroaches (I'm not making this up!!)

Don't see it if Tonally all over the place, narratively unfocussed. Some funny / sweet moments, but this is not Vogel's best and the staging is not good.

Insipid, Indulgent, A synopsis of a play, Cliched, Banal

See it if There is no reason to sit through this play. See Ms. Lange in something else.

Don't see it if There is no reason to sit through this play. See Ms. Lange in something else. Read more

Great acting, Funny, Entertaining, Clever, Delightful

See it if You're in the mood for a lighthearted time capsule which gives insight to social and familial issues of the 70s and 80s.

Don't see it if You can't appreciate a lighter handling of complex subject matters.

Entertaining, Clever, Ambitious, Absorbing

See it if You want to see actors at the top of their craft. And by that I mean Jessica Lange at her best

Don't see it if You want to see a musical?

Critic Reviews (7)

“Mother Play is a quieter show, softer and less shattering."
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"While Mother Play may be punitive, it is never pitilessly so."
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"Mother Play is all about the mother’s touch and what it means to mother and be mothered"
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"Her script assembles the contradictions...but it doesn’t provide a route through them."
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"...ends exactly as expected, but the emotional rollercoaster is worth the ride."
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Jessica Lange is unforgettable in Paula Vogel’s unforgiving portrait
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"Jessica Lange tears into the meaty role of a reluctant mother with genteel ferocity"
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Trailer

Creative team