Don’t let the title mislead you. The Hills of California, the latest play from the acclaimed writer of Jerusalem and The Ferryman, Jez Butterworth, is set in Blackpool, England. A seaside resort town now often used as a totem for Britain’s post-industrial decline—faded piers, low-paid seasonal jobs, derelict shopfronts—Blackpool was once a haven. Attracted by its ocean-view promenade and penny arcades, British vacationers would pile in on packaged holidays. Such was the case in the summer of 1976, when the driest weather in 200 years resulted in packed beaches and heaving hotels. It’s this nostalgic backdrop that reunites Butterworth and the director Sam Mendes. With equal parts sweetness and grit, they tell the story of the Webb sisters, who return home to manage their dying mother’s guest house. —Bridget Arsenault