Overview
Synopsis
Jerusalem is a raucous, provocative new work that tells of a modern, mythic English hero: Johnny “Rooster” Byron. During the course of this Tony-nominated play, Johnny tells tales, gets drunk, does drugs, dodges the authorities, and both charms and infuriates all that he meets. The play opens on the morning of the local county fair, and we discover that Johnny Byron is both the most and least popular man in town. The local authorities want to evict him, his son wants to spend the day with him, the town thug wants to teach him a lesson, and his ragtag group of friends want to party with him. Though he may be harried, harassed, bloodied, and bruised, Johnny is not a man to be beaten down. Johnny’s stand against the hypocrisy of modern suburban life is shocking, moving, and a wonder to watch unfold. Though Johnny may be a modern man, he has the spirit of England’s legendary giants of myth. With Jerusalem, playwright Jez Butterworth spins his own darkly comic, modern take on the classic English idyll.
Show Information
- Book
- Jez Butterworth
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 2009
- Genres
- Dark Comedy
- Settings
- Unit/Single Set
- Time & Place
- st. george’s day, present time (2009), the woods of wiltshire county, england.
- Cast Size
- large
- Ideal For
- Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Late Teen, Young Adult, Child Characters, Large Cast
Context
Jerusalem is set in the fictional town of Flintock in the county of Wiltshire in southwestern England. Flintock is roughly based on the town of Pewsey, where playwright Jez Butterworth resided for a few years. The Flintock Fair is modeled after Pewsey’s annual carnival week (http://www.pewsey-carnival.org.uk) . The character of Johnny “Rooster” Byron, the play’s protagonist, was inspired by Micky Lay, a retired builder who lived in a caravan just outside Pewsey.
The script frequently
to read the context for Jerusalem and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Prologue
The play begins in front of closed curtains. The playwright describes the setting thus: _“A curtain with the faded Cross of St George. A proscenium adorned with cherubs and woodland scenes. Dragons. Maidens. Devils. Half-and-half creatures. Across the beam: — THE ENGLISH STAGE COMPANY —“ _ A drum starts to beat, accordions and pipes strike up, and the house lights come down.
A fifteen year-old girl, Phaedra, walks to center stage in front of the curtain. She is dressed
to read the plot for Jerusalem 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 |
Female |
Spoken, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto |
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Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Female |
Spoken |
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Supporting |
Male |
Spoken |
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Featured |
Male |
Spoken |
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Ensemble |
Male |
Spoken |
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Ensemble |
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
Key Terms
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Videos
Quizzes
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Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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