Speaking from her bed in her London residence, Laura Donnelly explains how she manages her demanding role in the West End play, “The Hills of California”. The Belfast-born actress performs in the play eight times a week, each performance consisting of three hours of singing, piano-playing, and conveying powerful emotions.
To maintain her energy for each evening performance, she needs to keep her overall environment peaceful. This sometimes means she doesn’t get to spend as much time with her children as they would like, and sleep becomes a priority. These choices are something she has learnt to accept as necessary over time.
The play originates from Britain’s contemporary theatre dream team, including writer Jez Butterworth, director Sam Mendes, and Donnelly as the lead actress. Donnelly adds a personal touch to their collaborations, as shown in the Olivier and Tony-awarded “The Ferryman”, which was based on the disappearance of her uncle during the Troubles in Ireland.
In “The Hills of California”, however, the narrative is deeply personal for Butterworth, inspired by the loss of his sister to brain cancer in 2012. The play revolves around the reunion of four sisters at their childhood home, an optimistically dubbed Blackpool guest house “Sea View”. They come together to bid farewell to their terminally ill mother, Veronica.
The story covers different family dynamics, with the charming Ruby (Ophelia Lovibond) and the sharp-witted Gloria (Leanne Best) having built their own families with supportive husbands. Jill (Helena Wilson) stayed behind to care for Veronica, while the elusive Joan has followed her dreams to California, leaving the others questioning if she’ll return before their mother passes away. The play, nominated for this month’s Olivier Awards, explores heavy themes of life, death, and forgiveness.
The narrative and backdrop swing between their reunion in 1976 and their earlier years in the 1950s. During this time, Veronica (portrayed by Donnelly) aspired to make them the successors of the Andrews Sisters, with the likelihood increasing when a record company bigwig lands in town. However, what sacrifices are they prepared to make for this opportunity?
The play addresses multiple subjects, including the #MeToo movement, familial relationships, and personal autonomy. Donnelly notes that the core theme of the play, as suggested by a friend, is about choosing your life path and the way you want your life to end – the play touches on such expansive topics. One striking element was Joan’s decision to chase after her dream. Donnelly finds it intriguing how people measure the value of such daring decisions, based on their eventual outcomes.
She further adds that especially as an artist, she perceives the thrill of the chase as a reward in itself. Joan was the only one to take a step forward and try – rendering her an inspiration for Donnelly’s own limited lifespan.
Additionally, the theatrics shed light on parenting, drawing a parallel between the characters and Donnelly’s own Belfast-based parents. Her mother was a professional nurse and counsellor, while her father worked as a General Practitioner.
Donnelly speaks of the vital role forgiveness plays in the drama. While many are quick to criticize their parents, but in most situations – and definitely in her own – parents do their best. Her parents were raising her in Belfast during dangerous times, with the Troubles at their peak. Their sheer fear at what was happening around them made them want to protect their children.
Likewise, Veronica, having survived two World Wars, had a tough path forging her own identity as a woman in the 1950s, raising four children. Thus, she’s not an overly ambitious parent like Mama Rose, the infamous stage mother from the show Gypsy. Rather, she’s motivated by her children’s safety and happiness, viewing the entertainment industry as the only path available to them.
Growing up in a conservative atmosphere in Northern England, Donnelly charted her own course as soon as she had the opportunity to leave Belfast. She decided to pursue an acting career at an institution presently known as the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Theatre has been her chief occupation, particularly since 2012 when she crossed paths with Butterworth during auditions for The River, which succeeded his acclaimed debut play, Jerusalem.
Conversations with her reveal a kind of openness that only years of exceptional talent and valuable experience can bring. Donnelly doesn’t hesitate in discussing her role in what Vogue recently labelled as “the trendiest power couple in British theatre”. Although she concedes that it was a pleasant compliment, she insists one shouldn’t give too much regard to it– or think about how their combined projects overwhelm their residence. The answer is not a great deal, except for the weeks leading up to the previews, during which promotional activities and extra rehearsals atop the regular eight performances take place. She is uncertain whether Butterworth deliberately writes a character with her in mind in his plays or calls her into it later. Either way, it would not perturb her if she did not get a part in his next play.
The thoughtfulness Donnelly applies to shaping Butterworth’s concepts is evident. She points out that his constant discussions about the play while it’s still in progress benefits her, especially on the initial day of rehearsals. She attempts to contribute in the manner he wants her to, yet makes sure not to tilt it off balance as ultimately he is the playwright and it’s not within her abilities to do so. “Laura Donnelly’s rendition of a play is not a necessity”, she adds.
Throughout her career, she has consistently worked in television, though it has yet to offer her a signature role. The Nevers, HBO’s science-fiction drama met with an unfortunate circumstance as its creator Joss Whedon was dismissed in the midst of its creation, leading to the show’s cancellation shortly after. Britannia, Butterworth’s hallucinatory response to Game of Thrones, ran a decent three seasons before its conclusion. Prior to these, Donnelly chose to exit Outlander, a historical drama show headlined by Caitríona Balfe.
The actress adamantly denies rumours of any animosity leading to her departure, emphasising that she genuinely cherished her stint on the show. In addition to navigating the demands of new motherhood while filming two seasons, she dismisses suggestions that the fervent fanbase was overwhelming for her. Her decision was primarily guided by a desire for artistic growth and diversity, given her preference for exploring new territories over revisiting past work.
Acknowledging the traditional scarcity of strong, interesting roles for women and their tendentially brief career span, she expresses gratitude for the emerging paradigm shift. She finds theatre a natural fit given the time-enclosed nature of its run, particularly in an era where seemingly abundant screen material has ironically led to a decline in the standard of script she receives. However, she remains open to any captivating material that comes her way.
Considering the relatively muted global profiles of accomplished Irish actresses such as herself, Jessie Buckley and Ruth Negga, compared to male counterparts like Cillian Murphy, Barry Keoghan, and Paul Mescal, she ponders if the historical lack of substantial roles for women could be a factor. As a nation steeped in vibrant storytelling tradition with a significant track record in theatre and talent development, initially, there were limited opportunities for outreach to international audiences. The local film industry, particularly in Northern Ireland following the Game of Thrones phenomenon, has made considerable strides in addressing this.
She admits there’s been a tendency for males to be the forerunners in the industry, with less quality roles typically assigned to women, and their career longevity traditionally being relatively brief. She’s however, encouraged by the current shift towards balance.
Donnelly also reflects upon the complicated issue of her classification as an actor, neither consistently being identified as Irish nor British despite her 20-year tenure in the UK. She considers this a longstanding dilemma shared by individuals from Northern Ireland.
In the early stages of her profession, her potential roles were limited, creating challenging boundaries that she struggled to overcome. The key, she learnt, was to relentlessly showcase the extent of one’s capabilities. However, the perceptions surrounding the North have evolved, and the character types available are no longer confined. “Today, being a Northern Irish person is acknowledged as a unique identity in its own right.”
The theatrical performance ‘The Hills of California’ is being staged at the renowned Harold Pinter Theatre, situated in London, till Saturday, the 15th of June.