The Years Review: intense but profound
10 February 2025, 11:03
This was one of the most emotionally challenging performances I’ve seen, but I found it deeply rewarding.
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The Years tells the story of one woman, played by five actors of different ages. We’re never told her name, but it’s clear her life has been anything but simple.
Midway through the two-hour emotional journey comes the most harrowing scene - an illegal abortion.
It’s brutal to watch, and many audience members left at this point. The performance was even paused as staff attended to a medical emergency.
We were all grateful for a brief moment to recover.
But The Years is so much more than that one scene. The production tells its story beautifully through a series of photographs, leading to a truly breathtaking conclusion.
The audience laughed throughout, especially during the clever recreations of the photographs by the cast.
As we move through the decades, the woman grows older and wiser. We start just after the war, pass through the 1980s, and even get a nod to the Millennium Bug.
The music was outstanding, much of it performed live by the talented cast.
It’s a moving story, told through a stunningly crafted play. But for most, one moment lingers above all—the abortion scene that left the entire auditorium in stunned silence.
I highly recommend The Years, running at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London until 19th April - just be prepared for that moment halfway through.