Birthday Candles

by Noah Haidle

Ernestine Ashworth spends her 17th birthday agonizing over her insignificance in the universe. Soon enough, it's her 18th birthday. Even sooner, her 41st. Her 70th. Her 101st. Five generations, an infinity of dreams, and one cake baked over a century.
This poignant and funny play will take you through the highlights, heartbreaks, and extraordinary moments that make up one woman's ordinary life.

Genres: Plays, Theatre

105 pages, Unknown Binding

Reviews

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5, rounded up.

In one sense this play is pure schmaltz - but it's also undeniably effective and touching, with some great flashes of humor. The central character of Ernestine is a tour de force for a versatile actress, and I am sure Debra Messing made the most of it in its - and the playwright's - Broadway debut; although she and the play itself got decidedly mixed reviews (see below).

However, I cannot believe the playwright kind of botches the ending, missing the golden opportunity of everyone in her life coming to light the birthday candles for the heroine's 107th birthday cake - and having the play end with her blowing them out and finally making a wish (if I were directing, that's how I would end it!)

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/10/th...
https://ew.com/theater/theater-review...
https://www.broadwayworld.com/article....

[Cheyenne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this from a local bookstore that sells plays in nyc and then read it on the flight back home. I was fighting for my life holding back tears as the plane touched the ground. I hate sad plays but love sad plays.

[Mallory Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ★ would love to see this live

[Javier Fernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this play! In 90 minutes we experience, year by year, a multitude of small moments in one woman's long life that are the patchwork pieces that when framed together make the quilt of her days on Earth. The quilt will be far from perfect or beautiful, but that really doesn't matter. It's all in the making. The process of its construction is something to treasure. Birthday Candles is reminiscent of Thornton Wilder's Our Town in its message, but it's delivered in a wonderfully different way.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

this play is so beautiful I hope I get to see it live some day

[Teresa Estrada · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely in tears over how much this play can make you feel.

[Gabby Arrigo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saw this live and honestly I’m counting that.
An original premise and good enough script. I guess I have to read King Lear now. This play disguises itself as something deeper than it really is, and basically says a whole lot of nothing about everything and notherything in the universe.
I may or may not have left the theatre with smudged mascara tho…

[Madison Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m crying so much right now

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This play has an interesting premise/style where each scene takes place on a different birthday in Ernestine's life, but some of the "scenes" are only one line long, while others are several pages. It covers Ernestine's life and the issues in it (pursuing dreams, love, parenthood, confronting loss, and the struggles of old age), and it is a quick read, and would be a quick play with no intermission. I think it might be more striking to see performed than read.

[Bebe Marzano · Rating 5 out of 5]

as many others have stated, i read this book someplace i shouldn’t have and ended up sobbing in a cubicle at work. i didn’t care this play was so beautiful i’m obsessed with it. nothing rlly monologue wise though

[Kimia Miri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a beautiful play about the tragedy and beauty of life at the same time. If you live around Michigan and want to see it live, we’re having it happening in our school Western Michigan University at the end of September and beginning of October this year🥹🫶🏻

[Braden Waller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this play!! I loved the experience of seeing it and getting to read it was a joy.
I want more! I feel like this play would work so well as a complete novelization.

[caitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

idc if it’s cheesy i think it’s heartfelt and sweet and so so so sad. what a beautiful play about love, loss, and life that i think everyone should read

[tatum · Rating 4 out of 5]

crying lol

[•Kait• •Boers• · Rating 5 out of 5]

💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔

[Kit Gladieux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting concept- interested to see how it plays out on the stage. Really excited to see an actual cake baked on stage tbh

[Lexie Strohschein · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story of life and cherishing the time you have, however it may be spent. Ernestine and her family embark on a journey tradition, love, perspective, and loss in this fast-paced adventure.

[Tine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5/5

[lids ☆彡 · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know this is a midwestern play because it mentions Pinochle 🫶

[kayla michelle pisano ✮ · Rating 5 out of 5]

insane, i cried