Joe Orton
21stCenturyBoy
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Read Loot a while ago (and absolutely loved it), and always intended to read a few more of his plays.
Anyone have any recommendations/ general thoughts on Joe Orton?
Anyone have any recommendations/ general thoughts on Joe Orton?
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If you're interested in Orton, the biography Prick Up Your Ears by John Lahr is a really interesting read.
Will also take a look at the biography.
Read John Lahr's 'Prick Up Your Ears' and you will gather from that, what to read next! It's one of the best biographies ever written, I think.
I have seen "Loot" and "Entertaining Mr Sloane" on stage
I have seen "What The Butler Saw" on television. It is my favourite and rather annoyingly has not been put on DVD.
I bought "Fred And Madge" ages ago. I found "Head To Toe" in a charity shop last week.
In addition, there are these two websites here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Orton
http://www.joeorton.org/Pages/Joe_Orton_Life14.html
plus it's possible to buy his diaries now and copies of his other works (see http://www.sainsburysentertainment.co.uk/en/Books/Paperback/Joe-Orton/Orton-Complete-Plays-Entertaining-Mr-Sloane-Loot-What-the-Butler-Ruffian-Erpingham-Camp-Funeral-Games-Good-and-Faithful-Servant/product.html?product=E10674344&utm_medium=basefeed&utm_source=google). It's unfortunate to say the least that his creative life was cut short by his senseless murder by his partner.
Orton's death is one of the first news stories I remember. We were on holiday and I heard it on the radio. Something about it captured my imagination, although I was only a kid.
https://www.martineve.com/2012/01/14/joe-ortons-defaced-books-at-the-islington-museum/
They offer a fascinating insight into life in the London theatre scene in the 1960s (as well as the London cottaging scene - not to mention Morocco....).
It also gives a detailed look at his deteriorating relationship with Kenneth Halliwell, which so obviously ended in such tragedy.
I even went to see the play of Entertaining Mr Sloan (with Barbara Windsor as 'Kath') in 1993.