Jez Butterworth and Laura Donnelly on Marriage, Loss, and Their New Broadway Collaboration

As a playwright and artist, I find myself deeply moved by the stories of resilience and survival that I see in people like Jez Butterworth. His experiences, both in the world of theater and in his personal life, have shaped him into an extraordinary individual who uses art as a means of processing pain and loss.

Jeremy “Jez” Butterworth and Laura Donnelly are a pair who share both family life and professional endeavors; he pens plays while she stars in them. However, their partnership extends beyond the stage. Butterworth’s latest play, the Tony Award-winning “The Ferryman,” was influenced by Donnelly’s uncle’s story, who vanished during the conflicts in Northern Ireland at the hands of the IRA. Their newest work, “The Hills of California,” currently running on Broadway, takes inspiration from both Donnelly’s childhood memories and Butterworth’s personal experiences with loss and sorrow.

The play stars Donnelly as both the matriarch of a faded British seaside resort who is determined to get her four daughters a career modeled on that of the Andrews Sisters (Donnelly and her sisters were pushed into gymnastics as children), and as one of the sisters in later life as she visits her mother’s deathbed (drawn in part from Butterworth’s interactions with his brothers as they looked after their dying sister). Butterworth seems to like a family business; several of his screenwriting credits, including Ford v Ferrari and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, are shared with one or another of his brothers.

In the initial stages of their collaboration, Butterworth and Donnelly opened up to TIME about their joint efforts, the allure of fame, and a past incident where he physically confronted Harvey Weinstein.

TIME: One of the inspirations for The Hills of California was the death of your sister Joanna. Can you talk about that? 

In a farmhouse where I resided, there was a cottage nearby where a woman named Joanna, who had ovarian cancer, moved into when surgery was no longer an option. For six months, her final days were spent on this farm, with various friends and family members visiting from different corners. It seemed to be a joyful period for Joanna, despite the grim circumstances. I was deeply touched by the unique atmosphere surrounding the dying and how people interacted during different stages of life, all under one roof. I felt an urge to capture this essence, which included humor, intensity, mundaneness, and vividness, but I wasn’t sure how to do so for about ten years.

You have sisters, Laura. Are any of your sisters in the arts?

Donnelly: No, unlike other members of my family, I didn’t follow a typical career path. Such opportunities weren’t prevalent during my upbringing in 1980’s Belfast. Few people pursued artistic careers back then.

So in a sense, you are like your character.

Donnelly: Indeed, I can resonate with her feelings. Not long ago, I returned to the neighborhood where I was raised, and as I walked around, a powerful memory surfaced – that of being a 15-year-old girl in my room, feeling uninspired by my surroundings and yearning for an extraordinary life.

I’m interested in how guys work as a couple. What do you like about working with Laura, Jez?

As a film enthusiast, I find Laura’s exceptional trait to be her unwavering dignity. When she graces the stage, it’s as if everyone is on the edge of their seats, deeply invested in her journey, not just for the outcome, but for her preservation of dignity – will she maintain it or will it be challenged? The mere mention of this aspect sends shivers down my spine because I truly believe that’s where the heart of drama lies. Not in the final clash of swords, or the death of a king, but rather in who stands to lose their dignity. In a live performance, the audience’s dignity is also at stake – we’re part of an event where something unexpected could happen, potentially threatening our dignity. When it all comes together seamlessly, it’s electrifying.

How much do you write with her in mind?

Butterworth: In essence, I can combine elements such as an actress like Laura Donnelly and a mother unaware of impending events, constructing a fragile structure that may be swept away. This process is similar to observing a spider weaving a web only for a dog to run through it. Once these components are blended, I let the mix simmer, crossing my fingers for favorable outcomes.

Laura, what do you like about working with Jez?

Donnelly expressed that there was an intuitive sense about the author’s writing, as if he could hear a melody when reading it. No matter if it’s a character he would portray or not, the writing appears crystal clear to him because of its unique rhythm and the depth of meaning and emotion embedded within it. In essence, he finds immense satisfaction in delving into intricate, layered, and fascinating characters, but it doesn’t feel laborious for him.

How early in the process do you bring a play to Laura to read?

In a nutshell, Butterworth explains that he writes a single act of the play, approximately an hour long, which his director Sam Mendes and producer Sonia Friedman review the day before it’s performed with actors. This, according to him, serves as evidence that he’s working on the production, as well as gradually piquing their interest in mounting the show. Additionally, this approach enables him to develop the play and gather immediate feedback from the actors about their performances, which is essential for him.

Donnelly indicates that Jez tends to discuss the progression of his work extensively as he works on it. He might not read anything until a first draft is complete, but throughout the process, they’ll have frequent discussions about what Jez is contemplating, how he’s structuring his ideas, and they’ll casually converse over meals or other occasions about these topics. When Donnelly fully immerses himself in his role, he might not initially perceive any issues with the work. However, there may be instances where he’s grappling to comprehend how a particular scene should unfold. It’s usually when Donnelly asks insightful questions that Jez clarifies, often pointing out that a certain aspect isn’t quite right.

And then when Sam Mendes gets involved, and there’s a difference of opinion, do you gang up on him?

Butterworth: Though it’d be enjoyable, we won’t discuss what happened in rehearsal. It’s delicate, like a dance. Laura is like a closed trap regarding today’s rehearsal events, so there’s no chatter or gossip. Being from Northern Ireland, she knows the consequences of such actions. And Sam understands this too. There’s just a strong sense of trust among the three of us.

In order for my role to be effective, I need consistency during the rehearsals. It’s important that only one individual provides me with instructions, to avoid conflicting directions. I acknowledge Sam in his role as the director, and he will be my point of contact for all matters.

One of the things that this play is about is fame and ambition. You’re not yet a household name, Laura. Would you like to be?

During my twenties, if that opportunity had been presented to me so easily, I would have grasped it without hesitation. However, I believe I wouldn’t be here today if it had transpired as such. It simply wasn’t meant for me, and now I can see that I dodged a bullet there. Remarkably, I’ve managed to land myself in a position where I get to do the most rewarding acting work one could ever find. And strolling down the street feels like paradise.

How much of Joan’s ambition for her daughters comes from your ambition for your four daughters? [Butterworth has two daughters with his ex-wife, Gilly.]

In this narrative, it’s unclear whether the characters are four sisters gathering around their mother’s deathbed or four brothers around their sister’s, as I often find myself shifting between perspectives when crafting my plays – they’re like dreams coming to life. The children being trained not only to succeed but excel, draw inspiration from stories of Laura’s childhood experiences with gymnastics. I affectionately refer to them as the McTrapp family. It’s a blend of thoughts and memories in my mind, and figuring out what influences what is a bit of a mystery even for me. If I were to express past grievances through writing, it would result in a static piece rather than one that soars – like a bird left unflown after being stuffed.

Can you talk about your creative efforts with each other in a way that you can understand the other’s fears and hopes?

Butterworth: It seems as though we’re crafting a life that leaves us amazed each day and week. Yet, what we’re experiencing is the fruit of our joint efforts, which we both cherish. I am certain that we find joy in our shared presence here in New York for the third time, and appreciate how our lives have settled into this rhythm.

As a 12-year-old dreaming about the life I’d have as an actor, I never fathomed it would become the classic portrayal of a renowned playwright and actor in New York, performing a fresh piece. It seems to me that we could have been engaged in this very activity 80 years ago.

Together, we collaborated on these pieces. The concept for The Ferryman arose during a snowy drive to upstate New York, where it took shape over bottles of wine at our friend’s quaint cottage. By morning, the story was fully outlined with elements related to Laura’s family, details I was unaware of. Throughout the creation process, Laura was not just integral to the performance, but also to the inception itself. In many ways, it could be said that Tom Waits and his wife, Kathleen Brennan, worked together like washing and drying. However, in our case, we both took on the role of washing, with Laura subsequently refining the details.

One of the things I noticed about some of the work that you’ve done is there’s this absent person, offstage, that everyone is waiting for or looking for. Are you writing about God?

As a film enthusiast, I must admit I’m at a loss for an answer to that question. However, something Sydney Pollack once told me when I was starting out resonates deeply: creating a story isn’t like constructing a regular house. Instead, you’re building a haunted house. To make it truly chilling, you need to put a ghost in it – something unseen yet palpable that adds an air of mystery and tension. The enigma of what lies off-stage, the unspoken, the unexplained – these are the elements I believe are crucial to bring drama alive. Theater, for me, has always been about the intrigue of entrances, exits, and the tantalizing unknown that lurks behind the curtains.

Laura, Your mother was a bereavement counselor. Did she talk about her work a lot? Was death a present force?

Donnelly implies that she seldom talked about her work, possibly because of where she comes from, discussions were usually about deeper matters. It seems her mother worked with victims of The Troubles and families of the disappeared, which was deeply tied to her personal grief. This may have been a way for her to cope by helping others. When Donnelly started researching for “The Ferryman“, she found that her mother rarely spoke about her brother’s past, as it seemed too painful for discussion.

In this play at least two of the sisters experience the same event, and come away with very different impressions of it. Is that what happened with your brothers when your sister died?

For me, this experience has transformed into something similar to a play revolving around memories. I’m constantly tormented by my past. The majority of my time is spent reminiscing about the past, and I have little understanding of what lies ahead next week. It’s as if I’m partially blind in one eye. I can quickly tell you the week and sometimes even the day an event occurred. However, my memory, which I once regarded as a comprehensive record of reality, is not an accurate account. Instead, it’s my interpretation of what happened, and at times, it’s amusingly incorrect. And I’ve come to terms with the fact that there’s no such thing as absolute truth when reflecting on the past.

There is a Me Too event in the play. Did you feel it was an important subject to bring up, given what we now know?

In simpler terms, Butterworth avoids jumping on trendy or current topics when writing because he wants his work to stand the test of time rather than being a fleeting reflection of the day. He’s had personal experiences with Harvey Weinstein, but he doesn’t find appeal in deliberately choosing hot topics for his writing. Instead, while his past experiences have influenced his play, they are not as prominent as his own experience of sexual abuse at age 15.

Let the record show that you punched Harvey Weinstein in the face.

Butterworth: Yes. It was in midtown Manhattan outside a hotel that I’ve not been to since or before. It was not a great hotel. He was bullying a producer that I was working with. This would have been late 1998, so a long time ago.

I am sorry to hear that you were sexually assaulted at 15. Has writing helped you process that? Is that partly where it comes from?

Butterworth expresses that his writing is fueled by a mix of experiences he views as losses or painful moments, which he can’t otherwise cope with. However, he clarifies that the writing process doesn’t transform these negative feelings into something beautiful for him. Instead, he compares it to aligning different critical moments or losses in his life, much like birds on a wire, hoping some of them will harmonize together.

The mother in this play champions an art form, a girl singing band that the audience knows nobody cares about anymore. She has no idea about Elvis Presley or rock. Do you sometimes feel that way about theater?

Butterworth: No, I don’t have one. Instead, I find myself immersed in a dream-like state, where the wind sweeping through this town feels enchanting and mesmerizing to me. I can’t help but feel akin to Tigger in my enthusiasm for it. This sense of wonder is partly due to being a playwright, as there’s an element of freedom that comes with the role – like floating in and observing from the sidelines while everything looks captivating. This sentiment aligns with the type of stories I aim to create. I believe they may not be destined for great success, but rather serve as a means for people to gather and attempt to make sense of losses that can only be addressed through dramatic expression. In my view, this process is much like a religious ritual, and I embrace it without shame.

Are you really the West End’s coolest power couple, as British Vogue said?

In simpler terms, Butterworth is saying that there was an awkward and unpleasant incident involving Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick when they were in town. They had a heated argument that escalated into a confrontation in a restaurant, throwing things at each other. It’s unclear who resolved the situation, but he hopes it was us.

Donnelly: I’m sure. They’re both tiny. 

Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you like as a dinner guest?

Butterworth: James Joyce. And I’d also really have to have dinner with Harold Pinter, again.

Donnelly: I’m going with Cher.

Butterworth: What stopped me from considering Cher? Fear of Cher, that’s the reason. I can already foresee the outcome.

Donnelly: Gonna make a fool of yourself.

For nearly five decades, I’ve harbored a deep affection for Cher, a feeling that has remained steadfast since my early childhood years.

Having co-written Spectre, can you outline the essential qualities of the next Bond? And do you already know who it is?

Butterworth: No, and it would take quite some time for me to find a topic that I care less about.

Is this because Cher was not a bond girl?

Butterworth: I’d like for her to have been James Bond.

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2024-10-08 21:07