Both terrifying and farcical, Jez Butterworth’s first play gets the heart pumping.

Wharf 1 Theatre, Sydney

May 29, 2014

The sound of drums and guitar pound the walls of the nightclub like a meat tenderiser, while the heartthrob singer takes the stage. There seems to be little more to life than sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll – after all, this is England, summer of 1958. Silver Johnny is on the road to fame and fortune, but he’s also at the centre of a jealous feud between his manager Ezra and gangster Sam Ross. Neither wants Johnny simply for his talent, but are instead aiming for the power and fame his image might bring.

In the program notes, Jez Butterworth’s Mojo is described as “a piece of theatre that taps into the propulsive, thrilling, antagonistic energy of the teenager”. Really though, it is a world of celebrity and violence that audience members are unlikely to see as reflecting their teenage selves. As such, it’s perhaps best looked at and enjoyed as a sensational fantasyland.

Lord Acton’s adage sums up the plot easily: “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. In parallel with their leaders, the social dynamics and masculine bravado...