You may think you’ve never heard of the acclaimed British playwright, Jez Butterworth. However, his raucously funny, as well as violent and shocking plays, have won Tony and Olivier nominations and awards. Some critics have called him one of the most important British playwrights in recent years. Even so, you are much more likely to recognize films that he has written or co-written, such as some of the James Bond and Indiana Jones franchises.

His popular play Jerusalem was first performed at London’s Royal Court Theatre in 2009 and revived after British citizens began raging against Brexit. The play can currently be seen in Eugene on the main stage at Very Little Theatre in an excellent independent production directed by Kari Boldon Welch for a new company called Capital T Theatre. 

According to Welch, the play takes place in a fictional small town in rural England. Nearly all of the action occurs during one day, which happens to feature the eccentric annual fair that celebrates Saint George Day. Have Americans ever heard of such a celebration? Not likely. It seems to be a holiday that didn’t make it across the pond to the New World.

We may not understand the differences between our two countries as well as we could hope, but it’s fascinating to try to decipher our tangled roots. Unfortunately, the local rural residents in the play are having a hard time protecting their way of life when wealthier citizens would like to drive them off their humble properties to make more room for upscale residences.

Ironically, the traditional rural way of life is not at all superior to that of the middle and upper classes. The locals are longtime friends who understand each other’s needs and desires, which means they supply alcohol and drugs for one and all, including underage party girls. 

They all like to hang out at the shack of Johnny “Rooster” Byron, known as a legend of his community. However, Rooster is beginning to feel that he doesn’t have enough free will in modern times. In an excellent portrayal by Russell Dyball, he’s big and strong, but his profligate ways are bound to do him in.

His lifelong pals have a slightly better chance of getting out of their difficult situation. They aren’t legends, after all, just followers. Blake Beardsley, playing Rooster’s best friend, is hilarious as a would-be DJ. He’s sure he could be great, but nobody wants to give him a chance.

Mark Fromuth is endearingly funny as an aging professor. Hardly anyone listens to him, and even his dog keeps running away. Robin Galan-Hill plays Lee Piper, who wants to escape from the small town. He has a ticket to Australia but seems to be getting cold feet about going there alone.

Scott Machado is truly scary as Troy Whitworth, a bully in his youth and even worse as an adult. Alexander Grady plays a fairly sympathetic city employee, repeatedly ordering Rooster to evacuate his ramshackle home. Sarah Nesslin is much less kind as Alexander’s boss.

Kelly Oristano exhibits some goofy dance sequences as Wesley, dressed in a white and red outfit as a reluctant Morris dancer for the fair. Josh Simpson, playing a pal named Davey Dean, is always cheerful and optimistic.

Since some of these rural folks still believe in fairies, Flora Brown as Phaedra Cox wears a fairy outfit and sings a sad fairy song at the beginning of each act.

Melanie Moser is strong as Rooster’s estranged wife and Ezra Dockendorf is charming as Marky, their young son. Brooklyn Nesslin as Pea Gibbons and Sofia Witt as Tanya Crawley are lively as the underage girls who shouldn’t even be in that crowd. The women’s roles are smaller than the men’s, and with so many talented actors available, I wish these characters could be somewhat more developed, like the men’s roles.

Let me warn you. The play is three hours long, including two 10-minute intermissions. It is never boring. I promise.

Jerusalem plays at Very Little Theatre through July 18; times and tickets through the VLT ticket office at 541-344-7751, or BoxOffice@thevlt.com.