Review by Simon Jenner, February 13 2026
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“If you ever get in any bother… just bang this drum and us, the giants, we’ll hear it, and we’ll come.” Meeting a giant on the A14 at dawn, who casually drops he built Stonehenge is one clue. After all he gifts a drum. This to a man who has been kidnapped by Wiltshire traffic wardens, though is unbowed. Apparently. Jez Butterworth’s masterpiece Jerusalem directed by David Villiers arrives at New Venture Theatre’s Studio till February 21.
Wiltshire’s Oberon, Lord of misrule, drug-dealer to the under-aged, protector of the young from predators, however it might appear, drunken smasher of TVs, Greg Donaldson’s outstanding central performance of Johnny “Rooster” Byron is apparent from his very strut: a thrusting-chest gait and roll of both authority and slight self-mockery. Donaldson captures the oracular pride, bull and bullshit in his voice, and convinces you truth threads through it all. It’s only at the end we find out what truths if any inhere in his boasts.
Greg Donaldson, Emma Howarth, Anna Ren. Photo Credit: Strat Mastoris
Just one day – April 23rd of course – is spanned in this epic of cornering. Rooster is dunned by two council officials as authorities set to evict him. “Now kiss my beggar arse, you Puritans!” The day unfolds as Flintlock Festival gets underway Once Rooster adorned it as a daredevil rider, so they say. And they do. Now he’s confined to supplying and curating raves till dawn where he can’t remember everything he did. Yet has all the answers to Trivial Pursuits. Characters emerge, three of them unexpectedly. 13 cast swirl round Rooster in his day of reckoning through this three-act play, spanning three hours.. Rooster though might be the reckoner.
The set’s remarkable, designed by Simon Glazier who with a team of painters and dressers has crafted a corner of England around Rooster’s striking caravan; festooned with his own detritus including deck-chairs, record players bric-a-brac and foliage nearing the entrance. You’re lucky not to brush up against plants. An England flag droops an identity-riven world: nationalist flags are raised in retreat. This is though St George’s Day and there’s a deeper country. Even the St George myth gets explored. Lit in a bright sylvan glare deepening to shadows by Strat Mastoris, Villiers’ own sound design blossoms spectacularly at the end.
Rupert Johnson’s hangdog, dependant yet witty Ginger is more complex than he seems. And hurt he was excluded from the latest rave. Despite using Rooster like everyone else, he brings genuine warmth, even though he’s too much of a coward to go against the flow. And that has connotations, courtesy of a (happily unseen) video once shot to mock Rooster.
Jeremy Crow’s blissed-out Professor, seeking his missing dog Mary counterparts Rooster in his fantastical metaphoric arcs of old England, and his capacity for mistaking Ginger as a forward woman. Crow brings charm to the loopy side and a soaring authority to the Professor’s lore: even as he slyly asks “pure or applied” to Ginger’s DJ claim.
Truculent Davey (Jake Cargill) is in his way as deeply invested in England as Rooster. He won’t go further east than the shire border. Cargill’s thick accent and fantastically dour persona wafts authentic stuck traditions as he slaughters 400 cows a day in his abattoir. Wiltshire’s in his blood; he drains so much of it. Lee (Rococo Biancardi), leaving for Australia makes an appealing if slightly venal young man. Biancardi invests him with some dignity and pathos in his gawkishness. The under-age girls, Pea (Fionuala Eddisford-Finlay), more sceptical, and Tanya (Nelly Hillier) more sexually forward, offering herself with some asperity to departing Lee, form a witty chorus; especially during the uproarious Trivial Pursuits (Genius 2000 edition) scene.
Maisie Chalk’s evanescent Phaedra threads through from the beginning like an apparition singing enchantment, flitting through the narrative. Till she stops and makes an appeal. She’s traumatised and Rooster, the opposite of predatory, empathises.
Greg Donaldson, Rupert Johnson, Jake Gargill, Fionuala Eddisford-Finlay, Nelly Hillier. Photo Credit: Strat Mastoris
Mike Skinner’s bells-and-bangles Morris dancer Wesley is a study in how Rooster reaches even to nominal antagonists. Wesley runs a pub but still needs ‘whizz’ from Rooster; at moments confides his real fears. Skinner’s comedic, mis-timed dances strung along by Rooster’s drugs, shimmer like another English apparition.
Emma Howarth’s truculent Ms Fawcett, and Anna Ren’s more quietly fascinated Ms Parsons mark the height of council authority, and enjoy their jobsworth absurdity. Jon Howlett’s menacing Troy Whitworth, brings his habitual danger and edge to a brief but key role.
By contrast Sara Donnelly’s Dawn has history and a child shared with Rooster. Donnelly sparkles in detail and weight playing the aggrieved, occasionally still spellbound old lover. Her Dawn carries bite and consequence for Rooster.
Marky (Hal Offen) makes a confident staged but as the son in whom Rooster thinks he can instill a few pieces of advice in place of responsible parenting, and is both a living rebuke and appealing listener. “Don’t listen to no one and nothing but what your own heart bids. Lie. Cheat. Steal. Fight to the death. Don’t give up. Show me your teeth”.
This flawless production of weight and substance calling on NVT’s resources is a triumph. Above all Donaldson but a credit to each one of the cast and team. If you can wait for a return, then you might just be brushed by magic.
Production Manager Alison McMillan-Puri Stage Manager Katie Brownings, ASMs Natasha Kitcher, Lulu Belle Harrison, Claudia Ezraeelian
Set Designer Simon Glazier Set Team Leader Simon Glazier, Set Build Chris Tew, Wiktoria Piatowska, Sean McGrath, George Walter, Yago Machado, El Acedo Pozo,
Set Paining/Dressing Astrid Fisher, Annie Sheppard, Tim McQuillan-Wright, Lulu Belle Harrison
Lighting Designer and Rigging Strat Mastoris, Lighting Ops Tamsin Mastoris, Arun S Varghese
Sound Designer David Villiers, Sound Programmer Alistair Lock Sound Operator Alistair Lock, Bert Gladstone
Properties Carol Croft, Lulu Belle Harrison, Simon Glazier
Costume Mary Weaver, Marion Dean, Make-Up Richi Blennerhassett, Asmia Chandorkar, Poster Image Avid Villiers, Programme Designer Tamsin Mastoris, Publicity & Marketing Elysa Hyde, Photography Strat Mastoris,Health and Safety Ian Black.
Thanks to Ian Amos and Perfect Print for the Flintock Fair programme, Ewan Cassidy for assisting with sound programming and creating the rave ambience, Michele and Nick Offen for chaperoning Marky, and NVT FOH, Box Office and Volunteers.
Maisie Chalk. Photo Credit: Strat Mastoris
