'The Hills of California' review — a moving study of family grief
Read our review of The Hills of California on Broadway, a new play from Tony Award-winning writer Jez Butterworth and Oscar- and Tony-winning director Sam Mendes.
“A song is a place to be,” Veronica Webb tells her four daughters in The Hills of California. “Somewhere you can live.”
Just as music is transportive for the characters in Jez Butterworth’s play, The Hills of California immerses audiences into a world. In this acclaimed transfer from London's West End, the award-winning Butterworth and director Sam Mendes bring audiences to the Seaview Guest House in Blackpool, England, in the summer of 1976. It’s not a comfortable place to be.
This critic initially found it challenging to settle into the rhythm of the Lancashire accents and the sweltering, dimly-lit Seaview, where the Webb sisters — Joan, Gloria, Ruby, and Jill — stew over their mother’s impending death. But soon I felt like a guest at the run-down hotel.
The preemptive grief of the characters is lifted by humorous lines and flashbacks to 1955, when the sisters' younger selves rehearse a singing act, including Andrews Sisters hits like “The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” and “Straighten Up and Fly Right.”
The three-act play is 2 hours and 45 minutes long, and the plot lingers too long on tenterhooks for Joan, the estranged sister who has been away from Seaview for over two decades, to return and say her goodbyes. While the unraveling of the mystery surrounding Joan is a real gut punch, Butterworth spends more time anticipating a death than uncovering a family secret.
Ultimately, it is the cast that makes the Seaview memorable. The play is a true ensemble showcase, with the adult sisters and their younger counterparts hitting all the stops. A standout performance comes from Laura Donnelly, who does a double turn as the steel-headed Veronica and adult Joan, the prodigal daughter returned.
Butterworth’s portrayal of grief and the memories people choose to remember — and forget — is moving, and worth checking into the Seaview (the Broadhurst Theatre) to experience.
The Hills of California summary
In a heatwave in the summer of 1976, the Webb sisters return to their childhood home, a weathered guest house called Seaview on the coast of the Irish Sea, to say goodbye to their dying mother, Veronica. Jillian, who lives with and cares for their mom, welcomes sisters Gloria and Ruby back, and they wait for their estranged sister Joan, their mother’s supposed favorite, to arrive and say farewell.
The story repeatedly flashes back to the spring of 1955, as Veronica leads her daughters in rehearsal of their close harmony singing act, complete with choreography and ukulele interludes. Veronica, a single mom, has high hopes for the Webb sisters to be the next Andrews Sisters. Everything changes when a big-time record producer from America comes to the Seaview to check out their act.
What to expect at The Hills of California
The Hills of California is 2 hours and 45 minutes long with a 15-minute intermission between Act 1 and Act 2, and a 2-minute pause before Act 3. The characters drink and smoke prop cigarettes, and the show contains sensitive subject matters, including references to sexual violence.
What audiences are saying about The Hills of California
On the review aggregator site Show-Score, The Hills of California has an 80% audience approval rating.
- “A superb new play.” - Show-Score user S p
- “Great acting across the ensemble. Slow burn, but completely worth it.” - Show-Score user ZTheatre
- “Beautiful family saga with a VERY slow plot build. Regional British accent very hard to follow with several actors. Needs a haircut.” - Show-Score user Ellis Bell
- “See it if you are a fan of intense family dramas with profound themes and excellent acting.” - Show-Score user Salvatore 9017
Who should see The Hills of California
- Fans of Jez Butterworth, the Tony Award-winning playwright whose works include The Ferryman, The River, and Jerusalem, among others, should check out his latest work.
- Theatre enthusiasts who enjoy dramas with complex emotional narratives and family dynamics will find them here.
- Theatregoers who appreciate scenic design will love Rob Howell’s for The Hills of California; it is a detailed time capsule.
- Fans of director Sam Mendes (American Beauty Oscar winner), who reunites with Butterworth for The Hills of California, should see his work. The pair’s Broadway collaborations include The Ferryman, which won the 2019 Tony Award for Best Play.
Learn more about The Hills of California
Despite its length, The Hills of California is a showcase of captivating performances that’s well worth staying for all three acts.
Photo credit: The Hills of California on Broadway. (Photos by Joan Marcus)
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