Anjli Mohindra, Harmony Rose-Bremner, Deborah Findlay and Romola Garai – The Years – SFP Production – Credit Helen Murray
It’s only February so it may seem early to be thinking what will be the top plays of 2025, but I wouldn’t be surprised if The Years at the Harold Pinter Theatre remains part of that conversation come December. Based on Annie Ernaux’s autobiographical novel Les Années, The Years transforms a seemingly ordinary life into something extraordinary through its clever storytelling. Brilliantly adapted and directed by Eline Arbo, this imaginative production explores the intricate layers of memory, identity, sexual awakening and the relentless passage of time.
The Years follows Annie’s journey from her early childhood in post-Second World War France to her later years in the early 2000s, weaving her personal experiences with historical events. The narrative unfolds through a series of snapshots of periods of her life, each introduced by the recreation of a photograph being taken, capturing moments at various stages of her life. We see infant Annie photographed with her mother, as a teenager on the cusp of adulthood, as a mother with her two sons and as a grandmother presenting her grandchild to the camera.
Each stage of Annie’s life is portrayed by one of five actresses: Harmony Rose-Bremner, Anjli Mohindra, Romola Garai, Gina McKee, and Deborah Findlay. They seamlessly rotate between playing the central character, narrating the action, embodying supporting roles and even singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments when required. There is no one standout performance, the entire ensemble is exceptional. Harmony Rose-Bremner brings a delightful playfulness to infant Annie, while Anjli Mohindra shines as teenage Annie, capturing her self-discovery and sexual awakening with nuance and humour.
Romola Garai expertly portrays Annie as a young woman facing an unwanted pregnancy in the 1960s, a time when abortion was illegal. Desperate, she turns to a backstreet procedure, leading to one of the play’s most harrowing moments. The scene is graphic and there is blood, lots of it, but rather than relying mainly on shock visuals, it’s Annie’s vivid, unflinching narration that makes it so powerful. During this sequence, I noticed a couple of audience members walked out and the performance had to be paused for about 10 minutes while theatre staff assisted someone who had fainted. Throughout the interruption, the five actors remained on stage, silently remaining in character until the play could resume.
It’s a challenging and controversial moment in the play but theatre should be challenging and controversial because life often is. This unforgettable scene is also crucial to understanding the harrowing reality faced by women like Annie when confronted with an unwanted pregnancy in the 1960s. It also highlights the significance of the sexual liberation she later experienced with the advent of the contraceptive pill and the legalisation of abortion. This newfound freedom is embodied in middle-aged Annie, played by Gina McKee, as she embarks on an uninhibited affair with a married man following the collapse of her own marriage.
In the final stage of her journey, Annie is now in her 70s, portrayed by Deborah Findlay. With her adult children absorbed in their own lives and her faithful cat having passed away, she is more reflective, grappling with solitude and the passage of time. Findlay delivers a powerful performance, capturing the complex emotions of a woman confronting the later stages of life and her own mortality.
The set design by Juul Dekker is minimalist and versatile to accommodate the play’s shifting timelines. Simple props and movable pieces ensure seamless transitions, with a central table draped in a white cloth anchoring the action. This table serves multiple purposes: a gathering place where the family argues and spills tea as infant Annie plays, a bed where she loses her virginity and the kitchen table where she undergoes her abortion. Later in life, it becomes the site of her young sons having dinner and gleefully throwing their food around. As the play progresses, the tablecloths are removed and hung at the back of the stage, their stains serving as poignant reminders of pivotal moments in Annie’s life.
This production of The Years takes audiences on a profound and deeply emotional journey through one woman’s life, set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world. Exceptional performances, insightful direction, skilful writing and thoughtful set design come together to create a powerful and unforgettable theatrical experience.
NEED TO KNOW: The Years plays at the Harold Pinter Theatre until 19 Apr 2025
