Theater Review: Jerusalem

This City on a Hill Might Just Turn on You

By Lauren Yarger

Mark Rylance is the second coming, in more ways than one. He tore up the stage last season with his delightfully obnoxious turn in La Bete and is back for more, this time playing a hard-living, pleasure grabbing sort of Messiah in the transfer of the Royal Court Theatre’s production of Jez Butterworth’s dark, funny and enigmatic saga Jerusalem.

With his painful limp, a reminder of his glory days as an Evel Knievel daredevil who jumped double-decker buses, and an uncontainable energy, Johnny “Rooster” Byron (Rylance) plows through life throwing wild booze and drug gatherings for the kids who live in the New Estate development near his trailer in the English countryside.

Those activities, his litter-strewn trailer and grounds (Ultz, scenic and costume design) and his refusal to pay taxes have angered the neighbors who have rallied to have him evicted. Two government officials (Sarah Moyle and Harvey Robinson) arrive to serve notice after a party that quickly is becoming legend. Those who attended slowly emerge out of the woods in preparation for celebrating the annual Flintock St. George’s Fair.

Ian Rickson ably directs a large cast. There’s Davey (Danny Kirrane), who has no desire to travel from his rural environment and who doesn’t understand why Lee Piper (John Gallagher, Jr.) has decided to take off for Australia first thing in the morning. Also on hand are an absent-minded Professor (Alan David) who looks for his dead wife, Wesley (Max Baker), owner of the last pub which hasn’t banned Rooster from its premises, two party girls, Pea and Tanya (Molly Ranson and Charlotte Mills) and Ginger (a spot-on Mackenzie Crook) who is sort of a straight-man, devil’s advocate for the tall tales with which Rooster entertains the group.

Also coming in for the fair are Rooster’s former wife, Dawn (Geraldine Hughes), and the 6-year-old son Marky (Mark Page and Aiden Ayrick) he has neglected. Rooster also receives a less-than-friendly visit from Troy Whitworth (Barry Sloane) looking for his stepdaughter Phaedra (Aimee-Ffion Edwards), the fair queen, who has been missing for days. Jay Sullivan and Richard Short round out the cast.

All of these folks are in emotional pain of some kind and flock to Rooster in the hopes of eliminating it. Every time they look into his dark eyes, however, they see something terrifying they can’t face (and we hear a rumble of thunder, Ian Dickinson for Autograph, sound design).

Butterworth writes a play that is very funny, deep and almost mythical. Though it holds our interest for three hours, it could be shorter, and from my perspective, a little more to the point. Having invested such time and emotion I wanted some sort of conclusion, a solid message to take away. Instead, I felt strangely satisfied by seeing a superior work, but not really sure what it all was about.

Allegorical comparisons between Rooster and Christ abound including:

• A feeling of impending doom hangs over the piece, not unlike Christ’s waiting to be taken at the Garden of Gethsemane. For Rooster, the garden is the ancient patch of woods his family has handed down through the generations.
• He claims his mother was a virgin when she bore him (in a truly funny story)
• Rooster was pronounced dead after one of his jumping accidents, then miraculously revived
• He hangs out with the undesirables of his time.
• Jesus’ hostile crowd clamored for crucifixion; Rooster’s calls for eviction.
• He sheds his blood for others.
• He is betrayed by his friends and spit upon.
• He tells “parables” to the crowds who flock around him.
• He even lists a long line of “begats.”

Rooster hardly is Jesus, however, and with his poor choices, bad advice and reliance on spells and spirit, it’s more likely he could be representing evil. That doesn’t seem to be the point, though, either.

According to the playwright’s program notes, the title comes from the hymn “Jerusalem,” based on a William Blake poem about Jesus visiting England and the idea of a city that is a metaphor for heaven and earth, with people living in peace with each other and with the land.

It’s very funny, brilliantly acted and engrossing. And while I got a lot of the references, I just couldn't decide why they were there. I guess I’m just not British enough.

Jerusalem plays through July 24 at the Music Box Theatre, 239 West 45th Street, NYC. For tickets, visit http://www.telecharge.com.

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