Review: Jerusalem

Jerusalem follows Jonny ‘Rooster’ Byron, drug dealer to minors and wondrous story-teller, and the rowdy townsfolk who visit his caravan in the Wiltshire Woodland. The council wants to evict him and the modern world is snapping at his ankles. It’s a dark but funny play which explores the conflicts of the countryside as it is encroached on.

The set is astounding. Cast and crew ought to be congratulated simply for clearing it all up after performances. Fortunately, there is a lot more to gush about so I’ll just say this: onstage there is a caravan, a good two and a half trees worth of leaves, a freshers’ week of cans and bottles, and all the furniture and appliances you’d find in their flat, too, including a kitchen sink.

Jerusalem has a wealth of actors in its cast, all drawling in what is presumably a Wiltshire accent. A three act, two interval play, it was admittedly pretty long and the numbed buttocks started to question whether the essence of the thing could have been encompassed in just Rooster’s storyline, without the scope of so many characters’ lives. However, Ben Rogers undeniably has chosen a cracking script and done it justice, leaving his audience a little overwhelmed, a little harrowed, and completely in awe.

Performances were compelling. To name a few, George Ronayne’s monologues were sincerely affecting and credible to the character’s age, something that often cannot be managed in university productions and has to be overlooked. Michael Clarke was, as always, very funny, but also brought subtle naivety and pathos to his character, Ginger, the wannabe DJ who clings to Rooster and his crew past his days as a raucous youth.

Outstandingly good by all standards was Jonathan Moss, who played Rooster. The character was part tough ex-daredevil, part figure of folklore, part poet. In this intense play, Moss was captivating at all moments, tragic, dry, earnest and hardened. Praise is deserved for far more than just his downing of raw eggs, the convincing, consistent limp, and the faultless recital of a hella lot of Trivial Pursuit answers, although all that was mighty impressive. It is simply incredible that UEA students are at this performance level.

The production feels meticulously and inventively directed, which is what a long and pacey play needs. The only hitches seemed to be the wanderings of Phaedra, which sometimes punctuated scenes, incongruous with the overall tone of the play, the slightly uncomfortable presence of a child in the cast, and a communal tendency to over-pause, although that might be the bum cheeks talking again. Also, I did get spat in the face. It wasn’t so bad but don’t sit in the front row if you’re not into that kinda thing.

Jerusalem is an ambitious, accomplished, satisfying performance and truly deserves to be seen by a full house. If you’re looking for drugs, drink, horse masks and gratuitous spitting to fill your Friday or Saturday night, stop looking and buy a ticket.