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Overview
Synopsis
Jez Butterworth’s Mojo is set in Soho’s Atlantic Club during the summer of 1958. The club is run by local gangster, Ezra, and his seventeen-year-old rock 'n' roll protégé, Silver Johnny, is currently causing a sensation at the club. All the girls love him, and he is in demand as a performer. As the play opens, Silver Johnny’s future is being decided in an unseen meeting between Ezra and rival gangster, Sam Ross. Sweets and Potts, flying high on amphetamines, wait outside the meeting and describe what’s going on inside. They are part of Ezra’s gang and they are soon joined by two others, Skinny, and Baby, who is Ezra's son. Baby enjoys tormenting and torturing, Skinny, while the jukebox blares out the latest rock ‘n’ roll hits.
In the midst of the chaos, Sam Ross kills Ezra and kidnaps Silver Johnny. The gang realize they are now in a perilous situation and, led by Mickey (Ezra's second in command), they barricade themselves inside the club and arm themselves in preparation for an attack. Although he is Ezra's son and heir, Baby suggests to Mickey that they run the club together, but he is rebuffed by the older man. In a violent power struggle, Baby makes Mickey realize how much he underestimated him. Baby is more than a match for his new boss, and he relishes watching Mickey’s downfall.
Show Information
- Book
- Jez Butterworth
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Mature Audiences (M)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1995
- Genres
- Drama, Dark Comedy
- Settings
- Period, Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- Ezra’s Atlantic Club, Soho, London, 1958
- Cast Size
- small
- Licensor
- Nick Hern Book
- Ideal For
- All-Male Cast, College/University, Mature Audiences, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Small Cast, Includes Late Teen, Young Adult, Adult Characters
Context
Mojo was Jez Butterworth’s debut play and premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in 1995. Directed by Ian Rickson and starring Tom Hollander as Baby, with Andy Serkis, and Aidan Gillen, the production won the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. Two years later, Butterworth wrote the screenplay and directed Mojo for film, with Aidan Gillen moving in to the role of Baby.
The play was revived in the West End in 2013 at the Harold Pinter Theatre, again directed by Ian Rickson. This
to read the context for Mojo and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
Scene One
As the lights rise upstairs at the Atlantic Club, Silver Johnny stands alone. Music and screams are heard from the club below as, menacingly, he dances by himself. As the noise reaches a powerful crescendo, Silver Johnny suddenly takes a giant leap down the stairs into the club.
A few hours later, Sweets and Potts are sat upstairs at the club, high on amphetamines and waiting for a pot of tea to brew. There is a meeting going on in the back room about the future
to read the plot for Mojo and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
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Lead |
Male |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
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|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
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|
Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
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|
Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher