Complete Plays: "Entertaining Mr....
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I suppose I'm a believer in Original Sin. People are profoundly bad but irresistibly funny' Joe Orton. This volume contains everything that Orton wrote for the theatre, radio and …
Book Summary
This Complete Plays volume gathers all of Joe Orton's dramatic work for stage, radio, and television, written between 1964 and his death in 1967. It includes the major successes Entertaining Mr Sloane, Loot, and What the Butler Saw, plus The Erpingham Camp, The Ruffian on the Stair, and the television plays Funeral Games and The Good and Faithful Servant. John Lahr provides an introduction. Essential for students of modern British drama and black comedy.
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About Complete Plays: "Entertaining Mr....
Joe Orton's Complete Plays collects the entire dramatic output of a writer whose brief career transformed British theatre. From The Ruffian on the Stair (1964) to the posthumously staged What the Butler Saw, the volume displays Orton's savage wit and subversive energy. Entertaining Mr Sloane, Loot, and What the Butler Saw are joined by The Erpingham Camp—his reworking of The Bacchae set in a holiday camp—and the television plays Funeral Games and The Good and Faithful Servant. John Lahr, Orton's official biographer, supplies an introduction that illuminates the playwright's life and art. The collection reveals Orton's obsession with Original Sin, his farcical brilliance, and his fearless satire of institutions, sexuality, and death. This edition is indispensable for anyone studying twentieth-century drama, black comedy, or the theatrical culture of the 1960s.
Who should read Complete Plays: "Entertaining Mr....?
This collection suits students and scholars of modern British drama, theatre practitioners seeking challenging comic material, and general readers drawn to dark, transgressive satire. It is essential for those studying the 1960s, queer theatre history, or the farce tradition. Actors and directors will find rich roles and provocative scenarios. Readers who appreciate Oscar Wilde's wit sharpened by postwar disillusionment will discover a kindred spirit in Orton.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ Collects all of Orton's plays for stage, radio, and television in one authoritative volume
- ✓ Includes major works Entertaining Mr Sloane, Loot, and What the Butler Saw
- ✓ Features a revealing introduction by John Lahr, Orton's official biographer
- ✓ Demonstrates Orton's range across farce, satire, and television drama
- ✓ Provides essential material for students of modern British theatre and black comedy
Cons
- ✗ Some readers may find the dark subject matter and amoral characters unsettling
- ✗ The television and radio plays are less familiar and may appeal mainly to specialists
- ✗ Orton's dense wordplay and period references can require contextual notes
- ✗ The volume lacks extensive annotations or textual history for scholarly use
- ✗ Readers seeking conventional moral resolution will be disappointed by Orton's cynicism
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Frequently asked questions
Does this volume include all of Joe Orton's plays?
Yes, it contains everything Orton wrote for the theatre, radio, and television, from The Ruffian on the Stair (1964) to What the Butler Saw and his television plays.
Is there an introduction or commentary?
John Lahr, Orton's official biographer, provides a revealing introduction that sets the plays in the context of Orton's life and times.
Which plays are considered Orton's major works?
Entertaining Mr Sloane, Loot, and What the Butler Saw are generally regarded as his masterpieces and are all included here.
Are the television plays included in this collection?
Yes, Funeral Games and The Good and Faithful Servant are included, along with the radio play The Ruffian on the Stair.
What is the tone of Orton's plays?
Orton's work is characterized by black comedy, farce, and savage satire, often exploring themes of hypocrisy, sexuality, and death with Wildean wit.
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