The Hills of California - Harold Pinter Theatre

Thanks for all the feedback everyone - really excited for tomorrow now. And two breaks sounds perfect (even if one isn't a full interval).

The stairs go as high as you can see pretty much. But it's symbolising the rest of the building and, as was said, atmospheric descent more than having lots of action in view. Who decided the character who opens the play should come down a flight of stairs carrying a big basket?!

Are they doing rush tickets for this or au other cheaper tickets. I am wanting to see this but like lots of shows a good seat is a bit too much for me. Do theatre's even do day seats since COVID?

One comment about the sound at the first night. Maybe it was just me but some of the lines spoken a casual dialogue were not clearly heard from where I was sitting in Stalls D21. I know I’m not a native speaker, but I have a lot of experience listening to Northern dialect so I can’t blame it on that.. never had the same issue in this particular theatre before so it makes me wondering if this was technical or it’s just me getting old

Whereabouts in the north are we talking?

This is pretty major. Beautiful performances from the very large cast, and forget being concerned about the running time - it zooms by. While I have questions as to the timeline of the events in the play ( and the characters do as well) it allows all of us something to debate after the show. Jez Butterworth's writing is full humanity , wit and at times poetry that whatever vaguries exist don't really matter . Sam Mendes's fluid and detailed staging is a joy to behold. While it lacks the punch of The Ferryman, it makes up for it in scenes and climaxes of extraordinary quiet power. I cannot wait to see it again.

So I ended up liking, but not loving this.

Much of when we saw the three/four sisters together was good - the singing/dancing great (even if I hadn't heard of the Andrews sisters or Jonny Mercer the singer before) the quieter scenes moving and the sibling dyanmic fascinating to watch.

However, some of the humour wasn't to my taste, none of the male characters seemed to add anything and the older Joan was such a caricature it was ridiculous.

But all in all an interesting play that I'm glad I've seen.

Asking for a friend 😹

Yup… unless Mum went home before the curtain call!

Would potentially also spoiler tag this

Another terrific piece from Jez Butterworth. If it's not quite as rich as Jerusalem or The Ferryman (though it has similarities to both). it still does what it sets out to do magnificently. As others have said there are echoes here of Gypsy and family dramas such as The Memory of Water, but it feels fresh and vital and is wholly engaging, with wonderful performances across the board (the young cast are exceptionally good). Every one of the women has their moment and they each tear up the stage, making the most of some of the best dialogue you'll get in a new play.

If the men here are more in the background and less centre stage who's complaining? It's brilliant to see a play that feels so focussed on mothers, daughters and sisters and so surprising when you remember it's written by a man. But Butterworth certainly knows how to write fully rounded, memorable characters and this cast and director revel in that.

The set is dark and impressive, though perhaps it doesn't quite capture the overpowering heat of that hot summer of 1976, and the period feel in both time settings feels subtle, almost muted. But it works, and perhaps a too stereotypical look to the piece would have undermined the drama.

Three hours flew by and this feels like a real event. A new play from a playwright at the top of his game and a cast and director to match. Brilliant stuff.

He was primarily a songwriter and lyricist, responsible for some of the classics in the Great American Songbook (including The Hills of California, but also Moon River, Days of Wine and Roses, Skylark, Days of Wine and Roses).  He does have a fun album* called 'Two of a Kind', singing duets with Bobby Darin.

*kinda like a large CD** made of pressed vinyl
**kinda like a large DVD for music rather than video   

I found this very affecting, and it keeps resurfacing a couple of days later. The play is already very finely balanced, with exquisite performances all around (although I think all of the modern male characters need a bit longer to bed in.) It will only get better. Can’t believe what good shape it’s in already.

The singing was a lovely surprise. Made up for the lack of babies, rabbits, chickens and fire onstage.

The time flew by but I do think the longer interval comes at the wrong point, much too soon, just an hour in.