North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach is presenting Noah Haidle’s “Birthday Candles”, a tender little memory play about traditions and growing older gracefully.
In Director David Ellenstein’s deft hands six actors portray twelve characters as they age before our eyes with not so much as a costume change (Danita Lee).
The first time we meet Ernestine Ashworth (Margot White) she is celebrating her 17th birthday and her mother, following family tradition, is baking her a birthday cake.
Over the course of 90 minutes Ernestine will celebrate almost 100 birthday’s, each scene exploring her roles as daughter, wife, (she marries her childhood sweetheart) mother, grandmother, neighbor, great-grandmother, and stranger.
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| Martin Kildare and Kate Karel |
All the characters come and go in a flash as time passes: the children grow older, move away, get married, and have their own children.
Each year they come with their families, to Ernestine’s house for the celebratory making of the birthday cake all the while, White is baking a golden vanilla birthday cake right in front of our eyes.
The children bicker and play. Lackadaisical Billy, (Matthew Grondin) the oldest practices the piano until one day is proficient. They all get older, move on, go to college. Daughter Madeline (Katie Karel) suffers from depression, Ernestine’s husband Matt (Martin Kildare) has an affair right under her nose but neighbor Kenneth (James Newcomb) has always loved her from afar. He gives her the first of many(103) Goldfish for a present.
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| Margot White and James Newcomb |
Time passes, and through it all Ernestine wages forward as many of her loved ones pass away and before we know it she is over 100 and just at the end of her own life. While it is sad that she is ready, she is smart enough know when to make her exit.
The cleverness of “Birthday Candles” is that no one changes costume, but do change demeanor or slip on a pair of glasses, or look a little shrunken, perhaps walk a bit slower. The only character who looked dapper to the end was Kenneth, always with a flashy bow tie (Danita Lee).
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| James Newcomb and Margot White with one of the many goldfish |
Thinking about “Birthday Candles” made my heart flutter when Ernestine turned 88; my magic number. Getting older is no easy fete. Every day is a challenge and Ernestine was up to it.
Mary Burnett, as always does wonders on the long stage at NCR. There is an all -white working kitchen, with cupboards filled with spices and all the accouterments needed for baking, a stove that works and a mix master that blends the ingrediencies throughout as the play gives us snapshots of each passing year.
Did I mention that at the end of the play the theatre was selling birthday cakes and cupcakes that were all baked by Margot White?
Matthew Novotny designed the lighting and Ian Scot, the sound.
“Birthday Candles” carries a serious message of looking at the bright side of life, but it’s done in a light hearted way.
Enjoy!
See you at the theatre.
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday; 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday through July 6th.
Photo: Aaron Rumley
Where: North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach
Tickets: $57-$79
Phone: 858-481-1055
Online: northcoastrep.org
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