Jez Butterworth Shares Sisters’ Melodies of Love and Rivalry

by Isa S. Chu

During the historic 1976 summer heatwave in Blackpool, England, the Webb sisters reunite at their childhood bed-and-breakfast to finally face their dying mother and their conflicted past.

Through flashbacks to their 1950s girl-group days, “The Hills of California” reveals the music that binds and breaks them. As they harmonize, their tinsel-fringed costumes sparkle with the joy and innocence of youth. The nostalgic scenes capture their hope before reality and obligations dull the color of life. We feel a pang of sadness, knowing where their dreams have led.

As adult Jillian, the youngest of four, Karen Killeen conveys understated strength, while Nicole Mulready shows her as a shy, dreamy young girl. Jillian stayed on in Blackpool to care for their mother, growing into a woman with quiet resilience who speaks her mind when pushed.

As adult Ruby, Aimee Doherty delivers a rich, layered performance, while as Young Ruby, Chloé Kolbenheyer bursts with carefree energy. With tonal shifts and subtle glances, Doherty conveys the melancholy beneath Ruby’s humor and warmth.

Ruby mythologizes her older sister, Joan (thoughtful Allison Jean White), who found some success as a performer in California—but at a price that echoes painfully through their reunion. As young Joan, Kate Fitzgerald captures the hunger and drive of a girl determined to make her mother proud.

After decades away, Joan returns home to reconnect with her sisters, but she suffers under the weight of shame and secrets. White’s steady performance links the longing to be forgiven and the ache of past transgressions.

Amanda Kristin Nichols does an outstanding job as Gloria, the eldest, brittle and insecure. Gloria storms into the house, furious at being summoned, snapping at everyone, including her husband and kids. As Young Gloria, Meghan Carey shines like a vibrant leader, full of promise and poise. When her her optimism curdles into resentment, the drama achieves a sharp emotional edge.

The show truly comes alive in the 50s flashbacks. We finally meet the girls’ mother, Veronica, played with gusto by White. Veronica is convinced that her daughters will succeed as an Andrews Sisters girl group to redeem her own disappointments. Her fierce determination teeters into desperation, driving her to make choices that haunt her daughters.

Two flights of crisscrossing stairs tower over the old-fashioned, run-down parlor, creating a stunning visual metaphor. They form a stairway between past and present, hope and loss. Despite strong performances and striking design, the family story drags at times. I waited for the exhale of a resolution that never quite comes.

But the songs—with their shared language of love, rivalry, and memory—linger long after the curtain falls.

“The Hills of California” by Jez Butterworth, directed by Loretta Greco, scenic design by Andrew Boyce and Se Hyun Oh, costume design by Jennifer Von Mayrhauser, choreography by Misha Shields, music direction by Daniel Rodriguez, voice & dialect coach Ashleigh Reade, at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley, California.

Info: berkeleyrep.org – to December 7, 2025.

Cast: Karen Killeen , Patrice Jean-Baptiste , Lewis D. Wheeler , Aimee Doherty , Chloé Kolbenheyer , Jack Greenberg , Amanda Kristin Nichols, Mike Masters , Kyle Cameron, Allison Jean White, Meghan Carey, Nicole Mulready , and Kate Fitzgerald.