The Hills of California - Harold Pinter Theatre

It’s probably reflective of the persons who attend theatres particularly in the west end and commercial venues

That's a bit harsh... I'd settle for shoving down their throat!

Depends how long they let them ring for!

As a 50-something my phone, and smartwatch are always on silent and my watch is always in theatre mode before the show starts.
And what's more I don't make assumptions about people based on their age.

'Extraordinary quiet power' is exactly the right phrase for the way this dissects sibling relationships, the long-term impact of childhood trauma, and the various disappointments of adulthood. No weak links among the actors. I also didn't notice the length, despite sitting in the cramped balcony, because it was so engrossing, entertaining and often very funny. It has a bit of a 70s sit-com feel, but with 1000x more nuance and depth. 

BurlyBeaR could we please have a poll for this? Thanks.

Saw this tonight and LOVED it!

As others have stated, this is less visceral than some of Butterworth's other plays (eg Mojo, The Ferryman), and more of a slow burn, but it is completely engrossing from first to last, and it's themes and ideas linger.

Some spoilers follow. . .

So the set-up is that in 1976, Jill's mum, Veronica, is dying, and Jill (a tightly wound, introspective yet unfiltered, utterly truthful, completely winning Helena Wilson) invites her 3 sisters to come and say their last goodbyes. 2 of them, Ruby (a blunt yet affable Ophelia Lovibond) and Gloria (a hurricane of discontent played by an explosive Leanne Best) show up right away, but where's that last sister, Joan?

As in Brian Friel's "Dancing at Lughnasa," this is a kind of memory play about the sisters, about how the past shapes the present. In the past, at a time when James Dean was alive and fanciable (so 1955 or a bit earlier), when Joan was very much part of the gang, their Mum, played by Laura Donnelly as a fast-talking, fast-thinking, uber-ambitious, ultra-focused, prim, precise, Miss Jean Brody of a stage mother, wants to make them all singing stars. . .

In addition to comparing this to the poetic wistful remembrance of "Dancing at Lughnasa," one can also see in Veronica something of a more contained, more business-like, Mama Rose, from Gypsy, as suggested above lol, her dreams as equally endlessly boundless, but also, in the consideration of how each member of a singing group has their own individual story, one can also see traces of Amazon's superb "Daisy and the Six" TV show.

Like in Butterworth's poetic "Jerusalem," filled with speeches that enlarge the scope and resonances of the storytelling, and unlike the National's "Till the Stars Come down," which is more viscerally and immediately eventful, yet ultimately more prosaic than poetic, this play has several beautiful speeches that expand the events of the story into something more mythic and universal: speaking to the Rashomon like nature of the stories of our lives, how they intertwine, and how music unites it all.

Combining deliberate slow-burning intricately characterised storytelling, exquisitely acted (Laura Donnelly is astoundingly multifaceted; Leanne Best is cuttingly caustic, especially in her treatment of her doormat husband, Shaun Dooley's upbeat Bill, who she contemptuously snarls had better not do his "funny accents" lol!; Helena Wilson sucks you deep into the emotions of the story with her thoughtful, loveable, open, honest, anchoring Jill; Ophelia Lovibond and her youthful counterpart, Sophia Ally, so symbiotically and effectively depict the slow, settling, snuffing of some of the candles of a character who would be the life of a party), and poetically meaningful, I'd rate this 5 stars despite it being a slower burn than Jerusalem, The Ferryman or Mojo.

Friday night ended at 22:05.

I found Row B to be fine, better than expected. A has been removed so there's a gap giving you a nice angle to look across to the stage, not directly up. I think I was lucky with seat 5- I suspect the very edges lose bits and the centre might have more issues with furniture in the way.

Was there Saturday afternoon. This one really sticks with you, even if the gut punch doesn’t feel so strong in the moment. Really beautiful. Feels like a treat to watch. Might try to return if it’s possible.

Rant alert. Some of the crowd, my my… please don’t hum along to prove you know the music, guys. And can we ban suck-top water bottles, please? Pulled me out every time I’d hear the crunch of plastic regaining its form. Sorry if the two men on the right side of row A dress circle are on this board. But do better. Also, so many people made cringey statements about the pause. “Oh, well, it seems this is the pause, eh?? Oh what a pause, teehee…”. I was so into the piece, and then had to hear that dumb chatter. Some people…. Surprised me because it was such a tense moment.

Anyway, I suspect this will go to New York eventually, and it’d be great to see who goes with it.

I agree, I thought this was excellent especially for a preview. A layered play where the issues and themes come through character and story. The Ferryman and Hills of California, for me, are departures from his earlier work. But still identifiably Butterworth's sense of humour.

Great set, performances and direction.