Saadiqah February 19th, 2024
After their highly acclaimed 2017 play The Ferryman', which won multiple Oliviers, Critics Circle, and Evening Standard awards, playwright Jez Butterworth reunited with director Sam Mendes for The Hills of California' at the Harold Pinter Theatre. The production officially opened on February 8th, and the reviews are rolling in!
Reviews:
"The Hills of California is definitely epic (it runs for a swift three hours) and ambitious." WhatsOnStage
"The Hills of California is definitely epic"
"Donnelly is magnificent as Veronica, a strict single mother with intriguing moral grey areas, who runs the Sea View like a cross between a detention facility and Butlin's." iNews
"The performances are uniformly tremendous, notably Lovibond's quicksilver Ruby and Best's pained, angry Gloria." TimeOut
"There is beautiful symmetry built into the production" London Theatre
"beautiful symmetry"
"Yet the time flies as it's so engrossing, not just because of the glorious dialogue but also some of the best performances across a whole West End cast we've seen in recent years." Express
"the best performances across a whole West End cast we've seen in recent years"
"At heart, this is a witty, closely observed study of family relations and of the cycle of birth and death, impeccably performed by both young and older cast members" The Standard
What's the story behind The Hills Of California?
During the dry, dry summer of 1976, the beaches of Blackpool are packed full of holidaymakers, the B&Bs and hotels are full to the brim and the people of Britain are lapping up the sun. Yet in the sweltering heat of the town, far from the sea and gently sloshing waves, the daughters of a guest-house owner head back to her heavily deteriorating lodge.
Butterworth's language contains great riches
The Guardian
