The Theatre and Films of Jez Butterworth

Description

Jez Butterworth is the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful new British dramatist of the 21st century: his acclaimed play Jerusalem has had extended runs in the West End and on Broadway. This book is the first to examine Butterworth's writings for stage and film and to identify how and why his work appeals so widely and profoundly. It examines the way that he weaves suspenseful stories of eccentric outsiders, whose adventures echo widespread contemporary social anxieties, and involve surprising expressions of both violence and generosity. This book reveals how Butterworth unearths the strange forms of wildness and defiance lurking in the depths and at the edges of England: where unpredictable outbursts of humour highlight the intensity of life, and characters discover links between their haunting past and the uncertainties of the present, to create a meaningful future. Supplemented by essays from James D. Balestrieri and Elisabeth Angel-Perez, this is a clear and detailed source of reference for a new generation of theatre audiences, practitioners and directors who wish to explore the work of this seminal dramatist. Cover page Halftitle page Series page Title page Copyright page Dedication CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS REFERENCES AND ABBREVIATIONS PROLOGUE A Prologue, with questions: ‘The isle is full of noises . . .’ CHAPTER 1 FAIRY TALES OF HARD MEN: CONTEXTUALIZING BUTTERWORTH – THEMES, GENRES, STYLES, CRISES AND SETTINGS Tragicomedy and tragedy The Royal Court Theatre and an English sense of tragedy Openings: Definitely indefinite Laughter, and beyond: The devil in the details Festive tragedy Interlude: A sense of entitlement Hardmen and rogue males Desire paths through the edgelands CHAPTER 2 MOJO, BIRTHDAY GIRL: WHAT WILL HAPPEN? Mojo: Shakin’ all over Birthday Girl: The brave, and the reasonable CHAPTER 3 THE NIGHT HERON: A NOOSE OF BRIARS CHAPTER 4 THE WINTERLING AND LEAVINGS: BECOMING A STRANGER CHAPTER 5 PARLOUR SONG: MEN HAVE THEIR USES CHAPTER 6 JERUSALEM: THE KEYS TO THE FOREST Identity and history Jerusalem: What do you think an English forest is for? The clock and the forest A rural display The darkening green Moral panic versus the folk devil: The showdown An English ghost dance Footprints and repercussions Man and myth Awaking faith CHAPTER 7 FAIR GAME, THE RIVER: HUNTER AND GAME Fair Game: Freedom and security The River: Trophies of my lovers gone CHAPTER 8 PERFORMANCE AND CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES Jerusalem in Gotham, or Butterworth on Broadway James D. Balestrieri Still Puzzling it out: Jez Butterworth’s The River Mary Karen Dahl Butterworth’s Poetics of Absence Elisabeth Angel-Perez CHAPTER 9 INCONCLUSION: BURN THE PLANS That’s the badger: Moving the goalposts Post Script NOTES CHRONOLOGY REFERENCES SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY NOTES ON CONTRIBUTORS INDEX