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The Wild Wood: Jerusalem Review
| It’s St George’s Day in rural Wiltshire and two officials from Kennet and Avon Council are serving an eviction notice on Johnny ‘Rooster’ Byron, a modern day Robin Hood, a man of the woods, whose carefree existence is under attack. The local fair is in town and something is stirring as Rooster stumbles from his trailer to greet the new day. Jez Butterworth’s latest play, directed by Ian Rickson, is atmospherically staged amid a forest of trees. After a sell-out season at the Royal Court, Jerusalem has transferred to the Apollo Theatre. UKTickets went along to watch the show. |
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'Rooster' Byron - Lord of Misrule‘Rooster’, played superbly by Mark Rylance, is a Lord of Misrule, a magnet for the local waifs and strays. Mackenzie Crook plays aspiring DJ Ginger, a man who clings to his youth after years spent at Rooster’s side. Tom Brooke takes the role of dreamer Lee, who emerges disorientated from a tatty old sofa having burnt all his possessions and bought a one-way ticket to Australia. Other characters come and go. An eccentric professor, two teenage girls and a somewhat reluctant Morris dancer all join the chaos at Rooster’s encampment. |
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Mesmerising Turn from Mark RylanceMark Rylance is a mesmerising force and well deserves the critics’ praise. After stepping down as Artistic Director at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in 2005 he returned to the stage with comedy ‘Boeing Boeing’, winning a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Play.His powerful performance, particularly in the final act when a beaten and bloodied Rooster finds new resolve, is worth the price of a ticket on its own. A strong supporting cast, led by Mackenzie Crook, keeps the action moving forward in frenzied bursts. |
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A Green and Unpleasant LandA tribute to a life of self-expression, Jerusalem sticks up two fingers to the sterile world of new housing estates and pedantic council officials, as Rooster’s self-built kingdom and fantastic tales lament the erosion of English life.Buy Your Jerusalem Tickets Here |
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