Jerusalem Playwright Jez Butterworth on the Englishness of His Work, the Tonys and Writing for Mark Rylance

About the author:
Accomplished British scribe Jez Butterworth’s works Parlour Song, The Night Heron and Mojo have received New York mountings, but Jerusalem marks his first Broadway production. The show and its headliner, Tony winner and current nominee Mark Rylance, has earned raves for its quirky storyline and staging. Here, Butterworth recalls crafting the outlandish character of Johnny "Rooster" Byron (played by Rylance), the joys of bringing an English company to America, and his reaction to the show’s Best Play Tony nomination.



I’ve met several characters like Jerusalem’s Johnny "Rooster" Byron in my life. He’s a very identifiable type—not just in England, but in America as well. I’ve lost count of how many people have come up to me and said, "I know that guy! He lived near me growing up." Like Johnny, there are many figures that exist on the fringes of communities and occupy morally and socially gray areas. They’re attractive characters, so people are drawn to them but appalled at the same time. That struck me as a very dramatic idea.

Writing for Rooster was a strange experience. It’s funny, once you tap into a voice, words just ...

Source: http://www.broadway.com/shows/jerusalem/buzz/156573/jerusalem-playwright-jez-butterworth-on-the-englishness-of-his-work-the-tonys-and-writing-for-mark-rylance/

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