Opened: April 10, 2022

Book by: Noah Haidle

Original Broadway Cast: Debra Messing, Enrico Colantoni, John Earl Jelks, Crystal Finn, Susannah Flood, Christopher Livingston, Kate Hampton, Brandon J. Pierce, Thomas Silcott, Stephen Barker Turner & Arielle Yoder

Over the course of an hour and a half, you live through almost a century of the main character’s life. While it’s an interesting dynamic, there’s not enough time for the growth it’s looking to show.

Ernestine (Debra Messing) celebrates her birthday with different generations of her family and neighbor Kenneth (Enrico Colantoni).

Messing never leaves the stage so her costuming and makeup can’t reflect the age changes. Through her voice and physical movements, audiences will see the development. It’s a fantastic feat that she pulls off well.

However, the rest of the cast (except Colantoni) consistently change characters and it’s often hard to keep up. While there are some beautiful and challenging moments, everything passes too quickly to truly leave a mark. Even the often-mentioned cake gets barely any stage time.

Final say: Wish for a longer runtime. ★★★☆☆