The Hills of California
Olivier and Tony Award winner Jez Butterworth’s latest play premieres in London, directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes. This intimate family portrait, set in 1970s Blackpool, is Jerusalem playwright Butterworth and film director Mendes’ first stage collaboration since their record-breaking The Ferryman, which played in London and New York to huge acclaim. The Hills of California runs at the Harold Pinter Theatre for a strictly limited season in 2024.
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Booking until 15 June 2024
Box Office Contacts
| Box Office: | 0844 871 7615 |
| Access Booking: | 033 009 5399 |
| Group Booking: | 020 7206 1174 |
| Stage Door: | 020 7321 5300 |
History
Previously the theatre was named the Comedy Theatre, but was renamed to honour playwright Harold Pinter when he passed. Originally opening in 1881 with comic opera The Mascotte, the building housed operettas and small comedies, with world premieres of Falka (1883) and Erminie (1885).
Pre-War performances included Raffles (1906), and Peg O’ Heart of Mine (1914). Throughout the First World War. the venue began to establish itself in the West End, hosting revue shows from Charles Blake Cochran and Andre Charlot. The Comedy Theatre also was pivotal in overturning theatre censorship, staging productions such as premiere's of Arthur Miller's A View From the Bridge and Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Throughout the 90’s the theatre became home to a large number of Harold Pinter plays including The Homecoming (1991), The Caretaker (1992), Moonlight (1995) and The Hothouse (1995). Soon, a mixture of productions began to come into the Comedy Theatre, with notable shows including Steptoe and Son in Murder at Oil Drum Lane (2006), The Rocky Horror Show (2007), starring David Bedella, Dickens Unplugged (2008) and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard (2008-2009), directed by Craig Revel Horwood.
A range of stars have appeared at the theatre, including Matt Lucas in Prick Up Your Ears (2009), Keira Knightley and Damian Lewis in The Misanthrope (2010), Mark Rylance and Joanna Lumley in La Bete (2010). In 2011, ATG bought the venue and renamed it the Harold Pinter Theatre, in honour of the playwright. Keira Knightley starred in The Children's Hour (2011) after this, with Kristin Scott Thomas in Betrayal (2011) and Thandie Newton in Death and the Maiden (2011-2012).
Alan Ayckbourn's Absent Friends (2012) received an acclaimed revival, starring Kara Tointon and Reece Shearsmith, which was followed by a Terence Rattigan and David Hare double-bill of South Downs and The Browning Version (2012), with Anna Chancellor. Another Ayckbourn play received an all-star revival, with A Chorus of Disapproval (2012-2013) starring Rob Brydon, Nigel Harman and Ashley Jensen.
A quick turnover of shows followed, including Rufus Sewell, Kristin Scott Thomas and Lia Williams in Old Times (2013), a five-star, critically acclaimed revival of musical Merrily We Roll Along (2013), Chimerica (2013), Jez Butterworth's Mojo (2013-2014), starring Rupert Grint, Ben Whishaw and Brendan Coyle, Noel Coward's Relative Values (2014) and The Importance of Being Earnest (2014).
In 2014, Olivier Award-winning The Kinks' musical Sunny Afternoon transferred to the Harold Pinter Theatre from the Hampstead Theatre, where it remained for an impressive two years. Following the musical's departure, Mark Rylance's Broadway play Nice Fish (2016) transfers, followed by Imelda Staunton and Conleth Hill in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (2017).
Following a five star revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, 2017 sees Andrew Scott take the lead role in Robert Icke's new production of Hamlet, transferring to the theatre from the Almeida. Hamlet is followed by J.T. Rogers' Tony Award-winning Broadway play, Oslo, which ran for a strictly limited 3 months.
2018 kicked off with an anniversary revival of Harold Pinter's The Birthday Party, starring Toby Jones, Zoe Wanamaker and Stephen Mangan, followed by a short-run of circus extravaganza Cirque Berserk. Nina Raine's Consent transferred to the Harold Pinter Theatre in May 2018, with a revival of David Walliams' Gangsta Granny playing throughout the summer.
The Jamie Lloyd Company arrives at the venue for a 2018-2019 run celebrating the plays of Harold Pinter. The season includes stars such as David Suchet, Tom Hiddleston, Tamsin Greig, Meera Syal, Lee Evans, Martin Freeman, Danny Dyer, Jane Horrocks, Celia Imrie and more. Plays include One for the Road / New World Order / Mountain Language / Ashes to Ashes, The Lover / The Collection, Landscape / A Kind of Alaska, Moonlight / Night School, The Room / Victoria Station / Family Voices, Party Time / Celebration, A Slight Ache / The Dumb Waiter.
To finish the season, Jamie Lloyd presents Betrayal, one of Pinter's full-length plays, starring Tom Hiddleston.
During the summer, the stage adaptation of Captain Corelli's Mandolin transferred to the venue, following a successful UK tour.
Most recently, star of stage and screen Ian McKellen brought his hugely acclaimed one-man show Ian McKellen on Stage: With Tolkien, Shakespeare, Others and You for a limited season following an 80+ venue tour around the UK to celebrate his 80th birthday.
Olivier Award-winning playwright, Conor McPherson presented his version of Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya in January, starring Toby Jones and Richard Armitage. A transfer of Laura Wade's acclaimed new play The Watsons after the theatre was forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic. David Tennant's planned return to the London stage in CP Taylor's powerful play Good was postponed.
The theatre reopened in May 2021 with a season of new work spearheaded by Sonia Friedman and director Ian Rickson. The RE:EMERGE season saw three plays make their West End debuts – Walden, J'Ouvert and Anna X.
Jennifer Saunders starred in Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit in September, followed by Ralph Fiennes in Four Quartets.
2022 opened with James McAvoy returning to Jamie Lloyd's Cyrano de Bergerac for a strictly-limited engagement, followed by two solo tour-de-force performance's with Ruth Wilson in The Human Voice and Jodie Comer in Prima Facie. The postponed new production of The Seagull starring Emilia Clarke played at the theatre in late spring, followed by David Tennant in C.P Taylor's play Good in the autumn.
In 2023, Jenna Coleman and Aidan Turner starred in Sam Steiner's rom-com Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons, directed by Josie Rourke, followed by the English language premiere of A Little Life, directed by Ivo van Hove and starring James Norton. In June 2023, Dr Semmelweis starring Mark Rylance opened at the venue, playing a season until October. It was followed by Lily James and Kristin Scott Thomas in Lyonesse.
From January 2024, Jez Butterworth's The Hills of California plays its world premiere at the theatre.
Pre-War performances included Raffles (1906), and Peg O’ Heart of Mine (1914). Throughout the First World War. the venue began to establish itself in the West End, hosting revue shows from Charles Blake Cochran and Andre Charlot. The Comedy Theatre also was pivotal in overturning theatre censorship, staging productions such as premiere's of Arthur Miller's A View From the Bridge and Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Throughout the 90’s the theatre became home to a large number of Harold Pinter plays including The Homecoming (1991), The Caretaker (1992), Moonlight (1995) and The Hothouse (1995). Soon, a mixture of productions began to come into the Comedy Theatre, with notable shows including Steptoe and Son in Murder at Oil Drum Lane (2006), The Rocky Horror Show (2007), starring David Bedella, Dickens Unplugged (2008) and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard (2008-2009), directed by Craig Revel Horwood.
A range of stars have appeared at the theatre, including Matt Lucas in Prick Up Your Ears (2009), Keira Knightley and Damian Lewis in The Misanthrope (2010), Mark Rylance and Joanna Lumley in La Bete (2010). In 2011, ATG bought the venue and renamed it the Harold Pinter Theatre, in honour of the playwright. Keira Knightley starred in The Children's Hour (2011) after this, with Kristin Scott Thomas in Betrayal (2011) and Thandie Newton in Death and the Maiden (2011-2012).
Alan Ayckbourn's Absent Friends (2012) received an acclaimed revival, starring Kara Tointon and Reece Shearsmith, which was followed by a Terence Rattigan and David Hare double-bill of South Downs and The Browning Version (2012), with Anna Chancellor. Another Ayckbourn play received an all-star revival, with A Chorus of Disapproval (2012-2013) starring Rob Brydon, Nigel Harman and Ashley Jensen.
A quick turnover of shows followed, including Rufus Sewell, Kristin Scott Thomas and Lia Williams in Old Times (2013), a five-star, critically acclaimed revival of musical Merrily We Roll Along (2013), Chimerica (2013), Jez Butterworth's Mojo (2013-2014), starring Rupert Grint, Ben Whishaw and Brendan Coyle, Noel Coward's Relative Values (2014) and The Importance of Being Earnest (2014).
In 2014, Olivier Award-winning The Kinks' musical Sunny Afternoon transferred to the Harold Pinter Theatre from the Hampstead Theatre, where it remained for an impressive two years. Following the musical's departure, Mark Rylance's Broadway play Nice Fish (2016) transfers, followed by Imelda Staunton and Conleth Hill in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (2017).
Following a five star revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, 2017 sees Andrew Scott take the lead role in Robert Icke's new production of Hamlet, transferring to the theatre from the Almeida. Hamlet is followed by J.T. Rogers' Tony Award-winning Broadway play, Oslo, which ran for a strictly limited 3 months.
2018 kicked off with an anniversary revival of Harold Pinter's The Birthday Party, starring Toby Jones, Zoe Wanamaker and Stephen Mangan, followed by a short-run of circus extravaganza Cirque Berserk. Nina Raine's Consent transferred to the Harold Pinter Theatre in May 2018, with a revival of David Walliams' Gangsta Granny playing throughout the summer.
The Jamie Lloyd Company arrives at the venue for a 2018-2019 run celebrating the plays of Harold Pinter. The season includes stars such as David Suchet, Tom Hiddleston, Tamsin Greig, Meera Syal, Lee Evans, Martin Freeman, Danny Dyer, Jane Horrocks, Celia Imrie and more. Plays include One for the Road / New World Order / Mountain Language / Ashes to Ashes, The Lover / The Collection, Landscape / A Kind of Alaska, Moonlight / Night School, The Room / Victoria Station / Family Voices, Party Time / Celebration, A Slight Ache / The Dumb Waiter.
To finish the season, Jamie Lloyd presents Betrayal, one of Pinter's full-length plays, starring Tom Hiddleston.
During the summer, the stage adaptation of Captain Corelli's Mandolin transferred to the venue, following a successful UK tour.
Most recently, star of stage and screen Ian McKellen brought his hugely acclaimed one-man show Ian McKellen on Stage: With Tolkien, Shakespeare, Others and You for a limited season following an 80+ venue tour around the UK to celebrate his 80th birthday.
Olivier Award-winning playwright, Conor McPherson presented his version of Anton Chekhov's Uncle Vanya in January, starring Toby Jones and Richard Armitage. A transfer of Laura Wade's acclaimed new play The Watsons after the theatre was forced to close due to the COVID-19 pandemic. David Tennant's planned return to the London stage in CP Taylor's powerful play Good was postponed.
The theatre reopened in May 2021 with a season of new work spearheaded by Sonia Friedman and director Ian Rickson. The RE:EMERGE season saw three plays make their West End debuts – Walden, J'Ouvert and Anna X.
Jennifer Saunders starred in Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit in September, followed by Ralph Fiennes in Four Quartets.
2022 opened with James McAvoy returning to Jamie Lloyd's Cyrano de Bergerac for a strictly-limited engagement, followed by two solo tour-de-force performance's with Ruth Wilson in The Human Voice and Jodie Comer in Prima Facie. The postponed new production of The Seagull starring Emilia Clarke played at the theatre in late spring, followed by David Tennant in C.P Taylor's play Good in the autumn.
In 2023, Jenna Coleman and Aidan Turner starred in Sam Steiner's rom-com Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons, directed by Josie Rourke, followed by the English language premiere of A Little Life, directed by Ivo van Hove and starring James Norton. In June 2023, Dr Semmelweis starring Mark Rylance opened at the venue, playing a season until October. It was followed by Lily James and Kristin Scott Thomas in Lyonesse.
From January 2024, Jez Butterworth's The Hills of California plays its world premiere at the theatre.
