@malcscreative's Review of Broadhurst Theatre - New York City, NY

Come with me on Broadway, where tonight I'm seeing The Hills of California. Five years after the triumphant success of The Ferryman, playwright Jez Butterworth and Oscar and Tony Award-winning director Sam Mendes have reunited for a new play following a critically acclaimed engagement at London's Harold Pinter Theater. Set in a sweltering, hot 1970 summer, the play follows the Webb Sisters, a former singing quartet that must return to their childhood home in the English seaside town of Blackpool as their mother, Veronica, lies dying of cancer upstairs. Two of the sisters have families of their own, the third one, Jill, never left, and as far as Joan goes, no one has ever seen or heard from her in nearly two decades. But with a little bit of hope and a song that's still there, she might just finally reappear. Despite this being a nearly three-hour play in three acts, I absolutely adored it. Much like The Ferryman, Jez Butterworth's writing in this is both funny and haunting and it really has a lot to say about nostalgia, lost dreams, parenting, and the different ways we process grief. It also switches back and forth between both the 1950s and the 1970s, and it does it ever so seamlessly. And the performances across the board are fantastic, but especially Laura Donnelly, who plays both Veronica and Joan. Now, even though I got to see the second preview, the show is only playing for 12 weeks now through December 8th, so I highly recommend you check this one out. And despite it being too early in the season, I definitely could see this getting nominated for Best Play next year.