Birthday Candles (Broadway)
Closed 1h 30m
Birthday Candles (Broadway)
78

Birthday Candles (Broadway) NYC Reviews and Tickets

78%
(337 Ratings)
Positive
83%
Mixed
11%
Negative
6%
Members say
Great acting, Entertaining, Clever, Absorbing, Thought-provoking

Debra Messing stars in this heartfelt piece about the changes in one woman's life over a century.

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Show-Score Member Reviews (337)

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52 Reviews | 21 Followers
100
Must see, Thought-provoking, Resonant, Great acting, Entertaining

See it if you want a heartfelt piece about the changes that occur over your lifetime

Don't see it if you do not want to see a show that can be sad Read more

127 Reviews | 27 Followers
100
Intense, Great writing, Great acting, Funny, Entertaining

See it if You’re okay going through all the emotions throughout a play, it was all around good and a must see for everyone. Highly recommend.

Don't see it if You want something light and prefer musicals.

208 Reviews | 55 Followers
95
Enchanting, Profound, Resonant, Thought-provoking, Delightful

See it if you like quirkiness, comedy, deeply felt drama, and the little moments that make up a full life. This is a beautiful & moving play.

Don't see it if gosh, I have no idea who wouldn't fall for this lovely show. I went twice.

95 Reviews | 16 Followers
95
Thought-provoking, Resonant, Profound, Great acting, Clever

See it if You’re interested in a show about life and death and what happens in between. Small cast, great acting and about what happens over a life

Don't see it if You want a big production or don’t want to see a show about life and dreams

137 Reviews | 23 Followers
95
Resonant, Enchanting, Thought-provoking, Great writing, Great acting

See it if You want to see incredible acting, want to go on a journey and truly feel something, love a great story of growing old and those around us.

Don't see it if You don't like shows that move somewhat quickly, don't like shows where actors play multiple parts, shows that make you think. Read more

90 Reviews | 14 Followers
95
Thought-provoking, Romantic, Profound, Delightful, Absorbing

See it if you like a play that can be heartwarming and bittersweet and depressing all at once, Deborah Messing, Older Romance

Don't see it if A play that shows the ups and downs of life seem cliche to you, many of the situations can seem cliche Read more

204 Reviews | 56 Followers
93
Thought-provoking, Romantic, Must see, Masterful, Great acting

See it if You want to be deeply touched by the story of a woman and her family spanning generations, we see time is so fleeting and love so precious.

Don't see it if Triggered by family conflict, illness, and tragedy Read more

72 Reviews | 15 Followers
92
Intelligent, Refreshing, Clever

See it if you like plays that take place over years on one date.

Don't see it if you get confused by actors playing multiple parts

Critic Reviews (21)

The New York Times
April 10th, 2022

"Noah Haidle’s “Birthday Candles,” which opened on Broadway Sunday night at the American Airlines Theater, tries to build poignancy and depth through moments that repeat like a record needle stuck in a groove. Instead, this Roundabout Theater Company production gets caught in a superficial cycle of wannabe profundities and emotional pantomimes."
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Time Out New York
April 10th, 2022

"But Birthday Candles, directed by Vivienne Benesch, is little more than a compendium of twee pseudo wisdoms: Everything is made of stardust, forgiveness is the heart of most major religions, goldfish only have a three-second memory span, and so forth. There’s a slice of life somewhere in this oversugared and underbaked confection, but even that slice is stale."
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New York Theatre Guide
April 11th, 2022

"Unfortunately, for a play about the quotidian joys and heartbreaks of life, Birthday Candles rarely goes beneath the surface. The characters sound less like real people and more like Hallmark greeting cards — such as when an 18-year-old Ernestine proclaims in a line said by no teenager ever: “I am a rebel against the universe. I am waging a war with the everyday. I am going to surprise God!”"
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New York Magazine / Vulture
April 10th, 2022

"For all its references to philosophy, though, Birthday Candles doesn’t achieve that existential calm, nor does it contain those other plays’ sense of a network of human connection. Instead it keeps its attention firmly on Ernestine. This focus allows the Roundabout Theater to mount the show as a star vehicle for Messing — but it also constrains and dulls the experience."
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Deadline
April 10th, 2022

"Despite whatever missteps, though, Messing and the rest of the cast nicely convey the spectrum of emotions that a life’s sweep encompasses, from happy times to sad (at the reviewed performance, audience sobs and sniffles were as audible as the laughter). Not even a tacked-on final birthday scene that strains credulity can sour the simple, icing-sweet pleasures of Birthday Candles."
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Variety
April 10th, 2022

"This play feels like an offering, a true gift, a lesson on survival and a bold reminder to live each day with zest and adventure. Certainly, the icing on the cake is that we survived all the challenges of 2020 (and beyond) to enjoy this scrumptious production."
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Chicago Tribune
April 10th, 2022

"But those really are minor quibbles in a truly must-see show that is fully successful when it comes to everything that really matters. Messing didn’t pick some revival or obvious showcase for her comedic chops: she strives mightily and beautifully to find her way through a wise and sad drama, just like the character she plays."
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New York Post
April 10th, 2022

"Nonetheless, Haidle’s plays (his better “Smokefall” did not receive the production it deserved when it played New York back in 2016) have a way of convincing every audience member they’ve been written just for them. “Birthday Candles,” at its best, bubbles up our own cherished and difficult memories of the people in our lives who’ve come and gone."
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