Born in March 1968 - London - Jez Butterworth is a playwright, screenwriter and director who graduated from Cambridge University.
I have chosen Butterworth as an influential practitioner as he is the playwright on one of my absolute favourite plays, 'The Ferryman'. I saw said play on December 1st 2017 and it has stuck with me ever since - not only because of the story, but because of the production as a whole. The subtlety of the lighting, the sound, the set, the acting and directing - it was all incredible, but none of it is possible without the playwright. The play had a running time of over 3 hours, but there was not a moment of boredom, Butterworth was able to captivate his audience with even a lengthy monologue delivered by an elderly, wheelchair-bound woman who only had words to hold her audience - movement was barely required. This is truly the mark of a master.
THE FERRYMAN REVIEW
Have you seen or done something like this before? Was it similar to anything you've seen in the past?
Of all the plays that I have seen (West End and off`) nothing has really compared to 'The Ferryman'. The closest that I have come so far is a West End production of 'An Inspector Calls' which explores similar themes of family and conflict, however it paled in comparison to Butterworth's masterpiece in production value, acting and intensity. With its large cast and appearances from rabbit and even a giant goose, the play was not a typical production and strived on originality.
Was there anything unexpected about what you saw/experienced?
I intentionally did little research into the play before seeing it so that I would not spoil the experience . All I knew was the cast and the basic premise. Upon arriving I was surprised by the extreme detail and intricacy of the set (a family kitchen in rural Northern Ireland) and after reading the script some weeks later, I discovered that the detailed description provided by Butterworth had been followed directly. The play had been laced with surprise and unexpected plot-points - especially the ending. The final scene saw the accidental death of one of the boys, a confession of love between a brother and sister-in-law and the murder of an IRA militant with a razor blade.
What did you think was good and why?
The Ferryman rarely conformed to cliche despite its potential to. Whenever Butterworth seemed to be slipping into overworked ideas, he was able to turn it around. Butterworth used these cliches to create a sense of comfort and familiarity for his audience which made the play's climax all the more shocking. His characters could deliver powerful lines with total naturalism and with them never feeling forced shows the writers experience with actors.
Was there anything you didn't like?
There were moments where as an audience member, I was confused due to my limited knowledge of the Irish Troubles. Though I was able to understand the main bulk of the play, it was at these moments that I felt that there needed to be more explanation. However, I realise that I was not Butterworth's target audience and that most of the audience will have understood the context.
How did the event make you feel?
Throughout the performance, I was totally invested in the story and the characters and by the end I was on the edge of my sea. The atmosphere was ever changing, which was highlighted by the lighting - despite its naturalism.
What thoughts or ideas will you take away with you?
This production was an example of the work of a playwright-director. After reading the play it became clear that Butterworth knew the extent that he could push his actors, director and designer to and would often go beyond those boundaries with great effect, I will take all of the theatrical elements into account when writing.
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