Seminar review: ThinkIn with Jez Butterworth on Jerusalem

Ahead of the re-staging of the 2009 production of Jerusalem, Jez Butterworth met with co-founder and editor of Tortoise (and old friend), James Harding, for a ThinkIn session discussing the story behind the production and what the playwright believes the play says about us as a society. The session was a collaborative Q&A, with attendees poking and prodding Butterworth with some challenging and comical questions. 

A true sign of an intellectual is in the ability to break down extremely elaborate concepts and express them in a way that everyone can understand, and Jez Butterworth undoubtedly possesses this quality. When challenged by an elaborate question about the intricacies of the political landscape within Jerusalem, Butterworth merely says that if the play was a bowl of fruit then to him politics would be the bowl - it has to be there, but it is not what he is focused on or related to what he is trying to say.

A really interesting element of discussion was on what Rooster, the central character, would make of post-Brexit UK, Covid, culture wars and partying politicians. Harding argued that Rooster could be the anti-hero that the public need, now more than ever. Identity was also a pivotal theme in the discussion, as ‘Britishness’ was brought into question, with surprisingly few of those present identifying as completely British, despite the majority of them living here for the bulk of their lives. This paired with a hilarious anecdote about a persistent Mark Rylance who didn’t take off his cycling helmet for one of the most important meetings in the creation of the play, this session is not one to be missed.

The irony of sitting in on an exclusive discussion that addressed issues with accessibility, both in Jerusalem and in the make-up of the audience, was not lost on Butterworth. There are ‘last minute’ tickets available for Jerusalem this May, which Butterworth views as a small step towards gaining some more diversity in audience members. I would highly recommend watching the discussion to gain a further insight into a crucial play in British history. As well as being entertaining to watch, the issues raised provide a shift in perspective that would be useful for any classroom that is looking at the play. 

Find out more or access the ThinkIn session here.  

Jerusalem is on at the Apollo Theatre until 7 August. Purchase tickets here.