York Theatre Royal – 16 July 2021
Reviewed by Katie Goldsbrough
4****
These Hills Are Ours is tells the story of two men wanting to run away from it all. Daniel Bye and Boff Whalley (Known as a founding member of Chumbawamba) decided to escape the city where-ever they were and run to the peak of whichever city they found themselves in. They even invite the audience to join them on one of these runs the morning after the show which is a nice touch and is benefited by the intimate audience which is a result of Covid-19. The audience can participate and answer questions if they wish but this is kept to a minimum and should you prefer to sit back and enjoy the show you can do so with ease.
We learn about the history of our rights to roam the countryside, beginning with the Kinder Scout Mass Trespass in 1932, which lead the way for the public being able to run and walk freely across the countryside. The inclusion of these important parts of history helps us see how privileged we now are to have access to some of these beautiful places and helps us understand the passion they both have for running and why it is important for people to take advantage of the rights which were fought for so many years ago to get out and see the country we live in.
Boff breaks up the stories with meaningful and relevant lyrics which also helps you understand and see what running means to them. Dan was excellent at painting a picture with words. Describing his attempt at an almost 90 mile run in detail including both the triumphs and turmoil of that experience.