In his play "Birthday Candles," American playwright Noah Haidle spins a thread of life on which birthdays (some more, some less solemnly celebrated) are strung like pearls on a necklace. 100 years of life – 100 birthday cakes that Ernestine bakes each year according to her mother's recipe as she searches for her place in the universe. At 18, Ernestine is convinced she'll find that place on a theater stage, far away from her tranquil hometown, but as the saying goes, "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans." Ernestine starts a family with her childhood sweetheart, experiences highs and lows, and ultimately finds herself reflected in the questions, wishes, and dreams of those who come after her.

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Birthday Candles

Theater Lübeck

A little man in a forest? Quite the opposite: A tree stands on A.'s balcony. It seems to have grown overnight from a crack, a crevice in the concrete. The city's gardening department doesn't feel responsible, and the forestry department soon proves overwhelmed, as forests suddenly sprout up in every European city. Volunteers are sought to clear vegetation from the Eiffel Tower, and Bambi grazes in the canyons of high-rise buildings.

Forest

Did I really just say that? Am I hearing you correctly? And why can't I get that sentence out? Communication is a mess we're trying to untangle. Whether with words or gestures, we're constantly sending mixed signals. Vincenz Türpe and Anna-Lena Hitzfeld take young gamers on a journey through overthinking, I-messages, and body language. Whether it's still water or an open book, we read between the lines. And—just maybe—we'll get to the point in the end. Who makes the first move?

Mixed Signals

The jealous girlfriend, the spiteful rival, the hysterical colleague. Sister or enemy. Saint or whore. No matter how mindful, enlightened, and emancipated we may be, when we become insecure, we quickly resort to sexist narratives passed down for generations. And boom, there it is: the all-too-familiar "cattiness"!

Mare bite

In a village near Utrecht, Judge Adam's word is law. Until Mrs. Marthe Rull appears before his judge's bench. She accuses her daughter Eve's fiancé: Ruprecht secretly sneaked into Eve's room at night—or perhaps even forced his way in—and broke a jug in the commotion. Ruprecht vehemently denies this. He says he found another man in Eve's room, and the man knocked the jug off the ledge as he fled out the window. Because he believes Eve has cheated on him, Ruprecht wants to break off the engagement. And Eve? She remains silent. Instead, Judge Adam talks all the more—and soon gets himself into trouble. Because with every flattery, every evasive maneuver, with every increasingly obvious lie, it becomes clearer who really gained access to Eve's room.

Anna-Lena Hitzfeld

Events

Upcoming events

Nov 29, 2025 - Apr 25, 2026

Forest · Theater Lübeck

Feb 6 - May 28, 2026

Birthday Candles · Theater Lübeck

Past events

Feb 6 - May 28, 2026

Birthday Candles · Theater Lübeck

Nov 29, 2025 - Apr 25, 2026

Forest · Theater Lübeck

About

Anna-Lena Hitzfeld hasn't added a bio