If you could travel anywhere right now, where would you go? I dream of going on a safari in Kenya. It’s at the top of my bucket list. I’ve been obsessed with lions and elephants my whole life, and I’m desperate to see them in the wild.
Nael Nacer has appeared on Broadway (in 2024′s “Prayer for the French Republic”) and off-Broadway (including in “The Orchard” alongside Mikhail Baryshnikov and Jessica Hecht), but he is most well-known to Boston audiences for his work on local stages, where the classically trained actor has performed in everything from “Our Town” (2012) to “A Doll’s House” (2017), both at the Huntington, to a slew of Shakespeare plays. Nacer will be back at the Huntington, playing Hermocrate, a philosopher uninterested in love, in the French romantic comedy “The Triumph at Love” (March 7-April 6), written by Pierre Carlet de Marivaux. And even though the play premiered nearly 300 years ago (in 1732), Nacer said in a recent phone call that it stands the test of time. “Marivaux is best known for some other plays, but with this one … there’s no time period in which love has been any different. Love with a capital L has the power to change us for the better,” he said. “That is eternal. It’s something we can relate to now as much as they did then.” Nacer, 43, said his character is “a student of reason and for him, love and other volatile emotions are dangerous for man, so he prides himself on serenity and contemplation and a way of life that allows him to have control over himself.” He adds: “In this play, he experiences love for the first time.” Born and raised in Paris, Nacer said it is a “privilege” and a “great pleasure” to be a part of this show written by a renowned French playwright and novelist. “There’s a Frenchness to it for sure: the costumes, the time period, the behavior … but it seems to be set in Greece or some imagined French version of Greece,” said Nacer, a member of the Actors’ Shakespeare Project based in Watertown. “But this translation to my ears sounds very contemporary in American English … so it doesn’t seem like something that is very far away.” We caught up with Nacer, who lives in Waltham with his wife, Dana, executive director of creative and content at Athenahealth, and their 8-year-old daughter, Alice, to talk about all things travel.
Nael and his wife, Dana, and daughter, Alice, on a pirate-themed family boat ride in St. Petersburg, Fla., last year.
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Do you prefer booking trips through a travel agent or on your own? I usually book travel on my own, but I love the idea of using a trusted travel agent. Guidance is always appreciated.
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Thoughts on an “unplugged” vacation? Yes, please. It’s hard to disconnect, but once you manage to do it, there’s nothing better.
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What has been your worst vacation experience? My wife and I went to a giant all-inclusive resort once and … it was not my thing. There was a lot of drinking and it was very loud. It was all-inclusive — but totally secluded with a sort of party atmosphere, which wasn’t exactly what we were after.
What is your favorite childhood travel memory? I was lucky enough to go to Cuba with my family when I was in high school, and it’s an astonishingly beautiful place. I dream of going back.
Do you vacation to relax, to learn, or for the adventure of it all? I would say a healthy mix of adventure and relaxation. I like a good itinerary that has built-in downtime.
What book do you plan on bringing with you to read on your next vacation? ”The Ferryman” by Justin Cronin. Or “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir.
If you could travel with one famous person/celebrity, who would it be? Lin-Manuel Miranda. He seems like a good fellow traveler: enthusiastic, thoughtful, funny, curious, and kind.
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What is the best gift to give a traveler? Information. I love to plan, but all my best trips have been elevated by recommendations from friends, and I try to return the favor whenever possible.
What is your go-to snack for a flight or a road trip? My absolute favorite flight snack is Fauchon mini-crepes. I only buy them at the airport, and it’s become a ritual with my wife to crack open a box once the seatbelt sign is turned off. It’s how we start and end almost all of our trips. On road trips, I like to munch on Combos while I drive.
What is the coolest souvenir you’ve picked up on a vacation? My wife and I collect ornaments from every place we go, and we’ve gotten some really beautiful ones over the years. Putting them up at Christmas time is really special; we get to think about all the places we’ve been as we decorate the tree.
What is your favorite app/website for travel? I don’t really have a favorite, but I use Google Flights, Expedia, and Kayak.
What has travel taught you? It’s made me more curious, open, and grateful to be on this planet. There is so much beauty in the world, and so many ways to experience it. It feels essential to me to get out of the daily grind whenever possible and open up my world view, whether it’s flying across the world or taking a day trip outside the city.
What is your best travel tip? Stay hydrated. And have at least one activity every day; it can make short trips feel longer.
Juliet Pennington can be reached at writeonjuliet@comcast.net.
Actor Nael Nacer of ‘The Triumph at Love’ talks all things travel
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