Jerusalem

It's been a while since I've been to NYC, but I finally got back there today to catch Mark Rylance's Tony-winning performance in Jerusalem.

I wasn't sure what I was going to think about this show going in, probably because I knew very little about it. I ended up enjoying it quite a bit, although it did take me some time to warm up to the piece. I was actually pretty bored during Act I; I got more invested in the story during Act II and didn't want the performance to end at all during Act III. This is, without a doubt, thanks to the incredible performance of Mark Rylance.

I've heard much about Rylance, not only for this play but for much of his other recent work in New York. I'm thrilled that I finally got the opportunity to see him, because now I understand why praise is so frequently thrown his way. During Jerusalem, I wasn't watching Mark Rylance, I was watching Johnny Rooster Byron. As I walked out of the theatre all I could think was "Now, that was a performance". Rylance didn't just perform as a character, he transformed into someone entirely different. That is something that only truly talented actors can do, and it's a thrill to watch it happen in front of you. The final scene of the play, with Rylance banging on his drum as the lights went down, was enthralling.

The rest of the cast was fine, but it's hard to single out other performers when Rylance completely stole the show. Mackenzie Crook was good as his pseudo-best friend/sidekick Ginger, and the ensemble of teens who sought refuge at Rooster's trailer worked well together. But it was still Rylance who walked away with the play.

I enjoyed the design of the show quite a bit; I thought the set was especially important in setting the scene of the play and transporting the audience into the woods of Wiltshire, England.

Overall, I'm very glad I saw Jerusalem. It hadn't really been on my radar screen for most of the season, and I had been rooting for Joe Mantello to win the Best Actor Tony for The Normal Heart. But after seeing this play, I'm not upset that Rylance won and even more glad that I was able to experience such a performance on the Broadway stage.