REVIEW | The Hills of California, Harold Pinter Theatre
Nicola Turner, Nancy Allsop, Lara McDonnell and Sophia Ally in The Hills of California. Photograph: Mark DouetWritten by Philip
*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review
Blackpool. Summer 1976. The parlour of Sea View. The gathering of four daughters to say goodbye to their ailing mother Veronica. One by one the first three Jill, Roby and Gloria arrive, reminiscent of the past. Thinking and searching and wondering about a ghost from their past, the favourite daughter, their sister Joan.
Jez Butterworth has had a string of West End hits with Jerusalem and The Ferryman at the forefront of my mind and this will be no different. This female led drama bubbles along across two different time periods to a fitting final act. With the night in question in 1976, juxtaposed with 1955 when the four daughters were young and had dreams of stardom and success. Butterworth weaves this slow burner with care and class. Even the humour is tinged with sadness. Not for one moment over this play’s 3 acts and near 3 hour running time (minus an interval and a short pause) are you bored or clock watching. The stage is tense and the subtext is hidden in plain sight. Ultimately though there is a small piece missing from the play. - it doesn’t quite roar as it should. But it is very close. Sam Mendes directs with a keen eye for detail. He keeps the piece moving and paces the show well. For moments it seems to transcend the limitations of the timelines and gives both space to breathe.
The Webb Sisters dreamed a little dream of stardom and sang like their idols, The Andrew’s Sisters. This is where music was used brilliantly to move between decades and ultimately to heal some old wounds. Just like the spoken words, the music carried its own meaning. Nick Powell and Candida Caldecott arranged the music and helped transport you back to the innocence of youth and the age of growing up.
The performances of each cast member are what breathes real life into The Hills of California’ Helena Wilson as a slightly sheltered Jill, Ophelia Lovibond as sweet-natured Ruby and Leanne Best as ballsy but hurting Gloria, all captivate the audience. They bare their souls and show their scars, allowing us in while all the time holding something back. They have all lost something and you really do feel for them. Laura Donnelly stands out with two very different performances. As formidable Veronica, the mother of the Webb sisters, she truly encapsulates a pushy parent. Through her action, the girl’s are put at risk as she desperately tries to get them out of Blackpool and to a better life. Donnelly calculating performance really does make the audience’s lean in and listen as she makes choices about the future of her children. Donnelly’s other role in this drama is in a stark contract. She also plays Joan, the last Webb sister. Aloof and lost. Even though she puts on a brave face, you know that she is broken. Returning like a ghost from the past. Not seen or heard from in 20 years. The choices that were made back in 1955 are still just as painful in 1976. You feel for Joan the most.
When we move into 1955 we see young versions of all of the Webb sisters. Each young actor plays their part extremely well. Nancy Allsop, Sophia Ally, Lara McDonnell and Nicola Turner mirror their adult counterparts brilliantly. They give the laugh and warmth that is gradually lost over time.
Over time, people change and recollections of the past often do vary. But music makes you remember clear as day where you were in days gone by. Shared pain is pain that’s halved and the Webb sisters will always have each other.
The Hills of California runs at the Harold Pinter Theatre until 15th June 2024.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
