Comparing Jez Butterworth s 2009 Traditional Three Act

Jez Butterworth s 2009 traditional three-act play â€Å"Jerusalem† is composed of both comedic and tragic elements. Through what initially seems a play with â€Å"hilarious comedic routines† at the beginning, as it progresses, Butterworth inter winds â€Å"darker undertones†, such as sexual abuse and underage drinking. By the end of act 3, the audience is faced with an inconclusive ending which we can only assume is Johnny s suicide, showing that the play can no longer be just a comedy. As Charles Spencer writing for the Daily Telegraph in 2009 said, â€Å"You are never quite sure whether you are watching a rambunctious comedy or a terrible tragedy in the making.† The main plot itself, Johnny fighting to keep possession of his land can be mirrored to reflect the destruction of rural life, and the rising power of modern life. The sub-plot of the play, Phaedra and the abuse she receives from her step-father Troy, also reflects modern day issues, and the hars h reality of the world we live in. It can be said that the play veers more towards being a sub-genre of comedy, a tragicomedy , rather than just a straight-forward comedy. There are many ways in which Jerusalem fits into the conventions of being a dramatic comedy. One way in which Butterworth does this is through the genre. Farce is used heavily in Jerusalem, with many exaggerated situations, such as all of Johnny s eccentric stories, like how he was conceived, and when he met a giant. For example, when Johnny says â€Å"All Byram boys are