Birthday Candles

Birthday Candles is coming to the Rottingdean Village Public Hall this July, offering a look at a life spanning nine decades. The play is structured around a series of birthdays, using these specific milestones to anchor the narrative and explore the passage of time. It’s a production that touches on the universal themes of love, loss, and family, tracing how these elements shift and evolve as the protagonist moves through the years. This is an amateur production, staged by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd on behalf of Samuel French Ltd.

The play spans 90 years, which is a significant timeframe to cover in a single production. By focusing on the birthdays, the script creates a series of snapshots that allow the audience to see the characters develop, age, and react to the world around them over nearly a century. The storytelling relies on a cast of six actors who take on the roles of the characters as they age. By having the same group portray the figures at different stages of their lives, the play aims to create a cohesive sense of growth and change. It’s a focused, character-driven piece that reflects the cycle of a human life through these recurring, intimate moments.

If you’re planning to go, the performances are scheduled for the middle of the month, starting on Wednesday 15 July at 19:45. You can also catch the show on Thursday 16 July and Friday 17 July, with both performances starting at 19:45. For those who prefer a daytime slot, there are two performances on Saturday 18 July: a matinee at 14:00 and an evening show at 19:45. The venue is the Rottingdean Village Public Hall, located on Park Road, Rottingdean, BN2 7HL. Tickets are priced at £6.00 for standard entry.