The Years

Review by Sam

⭐⭐⭐️⭐️

Transferring to the Harold Pinter Theatre after a critically acclaimed run at the Almeida, is Eline Arbo’s adaptation of Nobel Prize winner Annie Ernaux novel, Les Années.

Spanning from 1941 to 2006, The Years is a dark and gritty exploration of the life and lived experiences of a French woman, set against the backdrop of a post-war Europe. The narrative is framed via photographs of this woman throughout history, with each picture showcasing another snapshot of her life. Beginning a little slow, the play soon finds momentum as it explores this breadth of time through minimalistic yet highly creative stagecraft. This feat of an adaptation is undertaken by a cast of 5, working as a collective hive-mind to portray this character throughout the decades.

The ensemble are quite simply phenomenal, with each diverse and talented performer breathing life into this character and expanding on her narrative with their own inspired creative flair. They work collectively to convey humour and trauma in equal measure, whilst never loosing sight of the mannerisms and character traits to seamlessly portray the same person across performers. Despite working as an ensemble, each performer additionally has their own opportunity to individually shine, as they each bring a defining moment in this woman’s story to the forefront of the narrative.

I must urge everyone to read ALL the content warnings fully before booking tickets, as there is one scene in particular which has gained significant attention online due to the intense audience reactions. The scene in question was extremely heavy to both see and hear, however was impactful to have portrayed viscerally on stage. Arbo’s translation is both highly graphic and emotionally challenging, but is performed with the most astonishing conviction from Romola Garai.

The Years is a vital piece of theatre, offering a graphic, raw, and emotionally challenging look into womanhood. It is performed, written and crafted with such a deep level of care for its central narrative, ensuring to never hold back from the intensity rooted at its core.