'Memory never stops. It pairs the dead with the living, real with imaginary beings, dreams with history.'

She strikes a pose and the camera shutter clicks: a child playing in the debris of the Second World War. Click. A student discovering parties and men's bodies. Click. An activist fighting for the right to choose. Click. A wife picking out a velvet sofa. Click. A mother taking her eldest to judo. Click. A lover, seducing a younger man. Click. A grandmother presenting her granddaughter to the camera. Click.

Les Annees (The Years) is Annie Ernaux's critically acclaimed 'masterpiece' (Guardian), charting a woman's personal and political life against the backdrop of a rapidly changing post-war Europe.

Eline Arbo's inventive stage adaptation was premiered as De Jaren by Het Nationale Theater in The Hague, Netherlands, in 2022, with a cast of five women collectively bringing to life an unapologetic portrait of one woman, and a whole continent. Arbo directed her adaptation at the Almeida Theatre, London, in 2024, in an English language version by Stephanie Bain - with reference to translations by Alison L. Strayer and Tanya Leslie. In 2025, The Years transferred to the Harold Pinter Theatre in London's West End, produced by Sonia Friedman Productions.

About the Author

Annie Ernaux is a French writer who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2022. Eline Arbo is Artistic Director of Internationaal Theater Amsterdam. Stephanie Bain is Head of Programming and Literary at the Almeida Theatre.

Reviews

'A remarkable stage adaptation that leads to a special catharsis through nostalgia, sadness and lots of humour'

* Volkskrant *

'An extraordinarily profound and yet playful drama... Eline Arbo's adaptation celebrates the multitudes contained within a single life... devastating... joyous... shatteringly raw... There is so much emotional depth, surprise and theatrical virtuosity here that it holds you rapt... What an accomplishment'

* Guardian *

'Stunning... a swoon-worthy smash... joyous... a real eye-opener'

* The Times *

'A unique, profoundly moving experience... manages the extraordinary feat of intricately telling the story of a whole life in less than two hours... finds laughter in tragedy and devastating detail in mundanity. It moved me in ways theatre often tries to but rarely achieves... utterly remarkable'

* Independent *

'A vivid, moving memoir play that celebrates the astonishment of being alive'

* Time Out *

'Unforgettable... strangely magnificent... full of roaring life'

* WhatsOnStage *

'Fascinating, funny and moving'

* Daily Mail *

'Startling and enthralling... a perfect dramatic extrapolation of Ernaux's slippery narrative... I absolutely loved it'

* Evening Standard *

'Brilliant... visceral... Ernaux speaks eloquently for for anyone with an open mind and a pulse'

* Financial Times *

'Vivid and profound... a superlative two hours'

* iNews *

'Unmissable... spellbinding... exquisitely mysterious, like life itself'

* Telegraph *

'Powerful... a must-see for its poignant, thought-provoking, and ultimately affirming portrayal of a woman's life'

* West End Best Friend *

'Captivating, funny and harrowing... a wonderfully literate and totally absorbing piece of storytelling'

* Reviews Hub *

'Head and shoulders above other adaptations in the West End... has the power to magic up emotion from simple ingredients... a gorgeous interplay of stagecraft and storytelling'

* Broadway World *

'A bravura, joyous feat of storytelling... quietly dazzling'

* Arts Desk *

'As powerful as anything I've ever witnessed on stage... two hours of perfection... Theatre really doesn't come any better than this'

* All That Dazzles *



Book Information
ISBN 9781839044496
Author Annie Ernaux
Format Paperback
Page Count 72
Imprint Nick Hern Books
Publisher Nick Hern Books
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 5mm