Jez Butterworth: The Genius Behind Jerusalem and Beyond
Few contemporary playwrights have captured the imagination and soul of British theatre quite like Jez Butterworth. Known for his poetic dialogue, mythological depth, and razor-sharp social commentary, Butterworth has carved a singular space in both stage and screenwriting. His work spans gritty gangster dramas and sweeping political epics, blending English folklore with raw realism. Whether you’re a lifelong theatre fan, a literature student, or someone who’s just discovered his work, this comprehensive profile offers insight into the man behind Jerusalem—and why Jez Butterworth continues to shape the landscape of modern storytelling.
Early Life and Background
Jeremy “Jez” Butterworth was born in London in 1969, into a creatively charged family. His brothers, Tom and John-Henry Butterworth, have also made names for themselves in the screenwriting world, often collaborating with Jez on major film projects. Their familial connection has produced a distinct storytelling synergy, visible in some of Hollywood’s biggest scripts.
Butterworth attended St John’s College, Cambridge, where he studied English literature. It was during his time at Cambridge that his fascination with language, rhythm, and narrative structure began to crystallise. Immersed in the works of Shakespeare, Pinter, Beckett, and Greek tragedy, he found inspiration in texts that straddled the mythical and the mundane. These early exposures helped form the thematic and structural blueprint for his later work.
He was particularly influenced by Harold Pinter’s minimalism, David Mamet’s sharp-tongued realism, and British folk storytelling traditions. The landscape of rural England, its lost rituals and suppressed magic, would become central to Butterworth’s dramatic voice.
Breakthrough Work: Mojo (1995)
Butterworth’s theatrical debut came with Mojo in 1995, a thrilling, darkly comic play that launched him into the spotlight. Set in the criminal underbelly of 1950s Soho, Mojo follows the chaotic fallout after the murder of a club owner, exploring themes of power, loyalty, and masculine fragility.
Premiering at the Royal Court Theatre—a venue known for nurturing bold new voices—the play received widespread acclaim and won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. Its rapid-fire dialogue, claustrophobic setting, and energetic pacing marked Butterworth as a fresh and fearless writer.
In 1997, he adapted Mojo into a film and made his directorial debut. The cast featured Aidan Gillen, Hans Matheson, Andy Serkis, and Harold Pinter, who had mentored Butterworth early in his career. The film retained the intense theatricality of the original and brought Butterworth’s voice to a broader audience.
The Cult Status of Jerusalem (2009)
If Mojo was the beginning of something bold, Jerusalem was a creative eruption that redefined British theatre in the 21st century. First staged at the Royal Court in 2009, the play quickly became a phenomenon. Set in the fictional village of Flintock, Wiltshire, on St George’s Day, it follows Johnny “Rooster” Byron, a squatter and local legend who has become a thorn in the side of the council, the police, and the encroaching forces of modernity.
Played to electrifying effect by Mark Rylance, Rooster is a blend of Pied Piper, Green Man, and social outcast—half bard, half burnout. His monologues, peppered with references to ley lines, giants, and druids, form a lyrical counterpoint to the bureaucratic, sanitised world trying to close in around him.
The play’s title references William Blake’s poem “Jerusalem,” asking whether England’s past glories have been lost or buried beneath housing estates and planning permissions. It’s a visceral exploration of Englishness—its identity, heritage, and contradictions.
Jerusalem transferred to the Apollo Theatre in the West End, then to Broadway’s Music Box Theatre. It earned multiple Olivier and Tony nominations and wins, including Best Actor for Rylance. The play is now regarded as a modern classic and has been studied, revived, and dissected by critics and scholars alike.
Later Theatre Work: Expanding the Political and Emotional Canvas
Butterworth followed up Jerusalem with several powerful plays that expanded his thematic and stylistic range. The most notable of these is The Ferryman (2017), directed by Sam Mendes and produced by Sonia Friedman. Set in 1981 during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, the play follows the Carney family as they prepare for the annual harvest, only to be disrupted by secrets and political tensions that threaten to upend their fragile peace.
Blending Greek tragedy with Irish folklore, The Ferryman is both intimate and epic. It features a sprawling cast of 21 characters (plus a baby, live goose, and rabbit), intricate plotlines, and profound emotional depth. It won both the Olivier Award and the Tony Award for Best Play.
Other significant works include:
- The Night Heron (2002): A poetic, eerie play set in the Cambridgeshire Fens, exploring isolation and spiritual searching.
- The Winterling (2006): Set in Dartmoor, this play deals with a man returning to a place of past violence, weaving in themes of betrayal and silence.
- Parlour Song (2008): A psychological suburban drama examining secrecy, boredom, and the decay of intimacy in modern marriage.
All these works continue Butterworth’s fascination with memory, power, language, and the mystical elements hiding in everyday life.
Screenwriting Success: From Stage to Screen
Butterworth’s move into screenwriting demonstrated his ability to translate his complex, character-rich style to broader visual storytelling. He’s known for collaborating with his brother John-Henry Butterworth, and together they’ve delivered some of the most compelling screenplays in recent cinema.
Key projects include:
- Edge of Tomorrow (2014): A critically acclaimed sci-fi film starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. Butterworth helped rewrite the script, which cleverly uses a time-loop mechanic to explore themes of death, adaptation, and redemption.
- Spectre (2015): As part of the James Bond franchise, Butterworth joined the writing team, helping to refine character arcs and bring psychological nuance to 007.
- Ford v Ferrari (2019): Co-written with John-Henry Butterworth and Jason Keller, this biographical sports drama starred Christian Bale and Matt Damon. It earned four Academy Award nominations and won two, including Best Editing and Best Sound Editing.
- Flag Day (2021): Directed by Sean Penn, this film explores a complex father-daughter relationship, again highlighting Butterworth’s skill at emotional storytelling.
His screenwriting showcases his ability to work across genres—thriller, sci-fi, drama—while retaining his core focus on myth, character, and human complexity.
Themes and Style: Myth, Identity, and the Poetic Real
Butterworth’s work is defined by recurring motifs and thematic structures:
- National Identity: His plays, particularly Jerusalem and The Ferryman, interrogate what it means to be English or Irish. He challenges the loss of cultural heritage in an increasingly sanitised modern society.
- Folklore and Myth: From ancient giants and faeries to real historical trauma, Butterworth mines cultural mythology to create modern parables.
- Masculinity and Vulnerability: Many of his male characters are both powerful and broken, often grappling with loss, pride, or the need for redemption.
- Time and Memory: Nonlinear structure, haunting flashbacks, and the weight of the past are integral to his storytelling.
- Lyrical Language: Even his most violent or mundane scenes are laced with a poet’s ear. His dialogue crackles with musicality and meaning.
His work often evokes comparisons with Harold Pinter’s pauses and menace, Sarah Kane’s raw honesty, and Caryl Churchill’s structural innovation—but Butterworth remains unmistakably unique.
Legacy and Influence
Jez Butterworth has earned his place among Britain’s greatest living dramatists. His plays are regularly studied in literature and drama courses, while directors and actors revere his material for its richness and depth. Universities, drama schools, and even GCSE syllabuses now include his work.
He has played a pivotal role in reviving interest in English theatrical traditions while simultaneously pushing boundaries. His partnerships with actors like Mark Rylance, and directors like Sam Mendes, have produced some of the most electrifying performances of recent decades.
Butterworth’s influence stretches beyond theatre. Screenwriters and novelists cite him as a model of how to weave voice, mythology, and structure into emotionally resonant narratives.
Where to See His Work Now
- On Stage: Look out for revivals at top institutions like the Royal Court Theatre, National Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, and the West End. International productions often appear in the U.S., Ireland, and Australia.
- Streaming: Films like Edge of Tomorrow, Ford v Ferrari, and Spectre are widely available on platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+.
- Publications: Scripts published by Nick Hern Books and Faber & Faber include detailed introductions and production notes—ideal for students and fans alike.
- Academic Resources: University libraries, theatre podcasts, and online journals feature essays and analysis on Butterworth’s plays, offering critical insight into his themes and impact.
- Television: New TV projects are currently in the works, including potential limited series co-produced with major streaming platforms.
Jez Butterworth’s creative legacy is one of bold experimentation, mythic resonance, and emotional depth. Whether he’s crafting the poetic invocations of a misfit prophet or scripting a high-stakes car race in 1960s France, Butterworth writes with a voice that is both unmistakably British and universally human.
For those who crave theatre that speaks to the heart, mind, and spirit—or films that blend blockbuster energy with literary finesse—Jez Butterworth offers a masterclass in modern storytelling.
If you haven’t yet explored his work, now is the perfect time to dive in. Start with Jerusalem, revisit Mojo, then lose yourself in the vast emotional landscapes of The Ferryman or Ford v Ferrari. You’ll walk away changed, and perhaps, more attuned to the myths and memories shaping our world.
