Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Debra Messing stars in BIRTHDAY CANDLES, Noah Haidle’s amiable, predictably sentimental examination of life

• By drediman
• April 11, 2022
• No Comments

Last night, Roundabout Theatre Company’s production of Birthday Candles by Noah Haidle opened at the American Airlines Theatre. Mr. Haidle’s new play begins on one Ernestine Ashworth’s 17th birthday and proceeds by depicting subsequent birthdays over the course of her long life – sometimes these birthday markers fly by in quick succession, other times the playwright fleshes things out in more traditional scenes (invariably, each birthday is introduced by an ambivalent chime). Although the circumstances and relationships in her life are in constant flux, the one thing that remains constant in each of the scenes is Ernestine’s tradition of baking a cake for herself.

With its parade of rapid-fire scenes and its fascination with humanity’s place in the cosmos, Birthday Candles is akin to Nick Payne’s Constellations. The pace of the show makes sure we feel the rush of passing time, and therefore the preciousness of each moment. It’s the same kind of lesson that we’ve learned before in such plays as Thornton Wilder’s classic Our Town. As such, the play investigates the fabric of life – irregardless of how unremarkable on the surface – much like Simon Stephens’ did earlier this season in his excellent play Morning Sun. Mr. Haidle handles this with an amiable, predictably sentimental touch that puts a gentle “Hallmark” spin on its examination of life, for better or worse. The play will appease traditionalists, while giving them a structural framework that’s relatively innovative and stimulating. However, those looking for a less coddling, more clear-eyed view will probably leave the theater wanting.

The Roundabout production has been directed by Vivienne Benesch with a light, zen-like touch. She elegantly and efficiently handles the fast succession of scenes without much fanfare, which works well with the playwright’s gentle approach. In the central role of Ernestine, Debra Messing is perfectly fine, and she portrays the character’s gradual aging process gracefully, if a bit generically. The other performances are finely etched, if a bit two-dimensional, which is understandable given how quickly they’re tasked to establish characters (aside from Ms. Messing, four of the five of the play’s other actors skillfully take on multiple roles).

RECOMMENDED

BIRTHDAY CANDLES
Broadway, Play
Roundabout Theatre Company at the American Airlines Theatre
1 hour, 30 minutes (with no intermission)
Through May 29