For the past few years, Dua Lipa’s Service95 Book Club has explored loads of stories that offer new insight into this world around us. From the unbelievably true to the remarkably surreal, these books keep readers entertained while also challenging what we know. In the nearly three years that the Service95 Book Club has been around, there have been about 36 books presented, so 36 opportunities to question, to wonder, and to escape. In all this time, however, the club has never dabbled in plays—until now.
For April, the Service95 Book Club has chosen Jerusalem by Jez Butterworth. Butterworth is a British screenwriter, director, and playwright, known for his outstanding blend of fantasy and reality. Over the years, Butterworth has received numerous awards such as the E. M. Forster Award, two Laurence Olivier Awards, and a Tony Award for The Ferryman, which made its Broadway debut in 2018. His early plays include Mojo, The Night Heron, and The Winterling, which were all well-acclaimed, but Butterworth found worldwide success with Jerusalem after it premiered in 2009.
Dua Lipa has a special history with Jerusalem. She explains,
“The first time I fell for Johnny ‘Rooster’ Byron, the anti-hero of Jez Butterworth’s ‘Jerusalem,’ I was 15 years old and studying the play for my English GCSE. The second time was watching actor Mark Rylance perform magic onstage in 2022, bringing this legendary character to life in ways that matched every single one of my expectations.”
As for the book itself, she continues,
“We first meet Rooster mixing himself a hangover smoothie of sour milk, eggs, vodka, and speed. He’s the physical wreck of a once-strong man, held together by drink and drugs; a former daredevil now living in a caravan in some woods in the English countryside, dispensing booze, drugs, and tall stories to local teenagers. On the morning of the local fair—St. George’s Day, no less—he’s served an eviction notice for unauthorized encampment. It’s not his first warning, but it feels like it might be his last.
“Underneath the chaos and comedy is something sadder. Rooster is a dying breed: a wild and independent spirit utterly out of step with box-ticking officials and small-town England. The poignancy and defiance of the final scene, summoning the ghosts of his Byron forefathers, will stay with me forever.
“What makes ‘Jerusalem’ such a joy to read—and why I’ve chosen it as our first play—is how alive it is on the page as well as the stage. One minute, you’re deep in English folklore—giants, fairies, ancient drums—and the next, you’re arguing about Girls Aloud. It’s funny, tragic, fantastically alive, and the best reminder that reading plays is not only for school.”
The bonus content this month includes Butterworth’s list of books and movies to explore after reading Jerusalem, a playlist of songs that inspired the play, an essay by Butterworth on the moments that inspired the play, and an interview with actress Charlotte Mills. Mills played Tanya in the original cast of Jerusalem, and she shares her perspective on the role.
Of course, there is also an interview between Dua Lipa and Jez Butterworth. During the interview, the two get into the rebellious spirit of Jerusalem, along with its themes of belonging. They also chat about the play’s origins and legacy before diving into Butterworth’s next project—co-writing the screenplays for the upcoming movies about the Beatles.
In the coming weeks, readers can expect a podcast episode of Butterworth reading an extract from Jerusalem, along with an episode of Dua Lipa asking Butterworth questions from the Service95 community.
Dua Lipa was recently announced as the curator for the Southbank Centre’s 2026 London Literature Festival held in October. She will curate a series of special events during the festival’s opening weekend, but during the festival’s entire run, she will hold events with the Service95 Book Club.
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