Upon reading any reviews of Jerusalem, you would not be able to figure out the plot line or meaning of the 3 hour long play. This is because there was no plot. Jerusalem seemed to be a character study of Johnny “Rooster” Byron (Mark Rylance), a drunken man living in a caravan in the Flintock woods. He throws huge, noisy parties and attracts the attention of many teenage delinquents. His caravan acts as a sort of headquarters for this bunch of teens. At the same time, he doesn’t pay taxes and is being fined and kicked off the land by the police. 
The mostly British cast came over from their production in London. The show was a collaborative effort between the writers and actors. It was inspired by the life of a man named Mickey Lay, a gypsy who lived in England who is very similar to the show’s Rooster. Teenagers would come and hang around him in their difficult years between adolescence and adulthood. He would help them to get on their way and find out their true colors. This is portrayed by the many relationships that Byron has with his teenage companions. One such relationship is with a young man named 
Ginger (Mackenzie Crook). He is one of the older members of the group because he hasn’t yet been able to “fly out of the nest.” Rooster is occasionally rough on Ginger because he feels that Ginger needs this “tough love” to make him move on and grow up. Many other kids, Pea (Molly Ranson), Tanya (Charlotte Mills), Davey (Danny Kirrane) and Lee (Jay Sullivan) hang around Rooster as well. Lee is just about to leave the nest while Pea and Tanya are 
younger teens and are still in need of Byron’s magic.
Throughout the show, there are hints dropped that Byron is a gypsy. Many people scream “gypo” and “pikey” at him, common English nicknames for gypsies. He also resembles a gypsy in the fact that he lives on land that is not his (in the eyes of the government) without paying taxes. The end of the show ends with him doing a chant, summoning all of his Byron ancestors to help him. This crazy, almost possessed scene helps the audience fully understand what he is.
The action of the play takes place in one day, which to me wasn’t as obvious as it should have been. The set was amazing. Real grass was used to show the woods’ floor. There was a caravan surrounded by real looking trees. It seemed as if someone really could be living there. The acting was phenomenal, almost to the point where it seemed as if the audience was just peeking into a day of the life of John Byron. There were some confusing elements, though, including the disappearance/hiding of Phaedra (Aimee-Ffion Edwards). In the end, the audience really feels for Rooster the pikey. All of the main characters extracted real emotion from the onlookers. Though the show was enjoyable, it was at times hard to follow due to its lack of plot.
Jerusalem
The Music Box
August 13, 2011
Marina B. Nebro
