Reading the 20th Century discussion

Perhaps not a favourite, but I thoroughly enjoyed Prick Up Your Ears: The Biography of Joe Orton by John Lahr, and The Orton Diaries, though have not read either of them since their publication many moons ago.

Coincidentally I shall be calling into Joe and Kenneth's old local next week - The Island Queen - in Islington.



I also notice that there is a new BBC programme inspired by Joe Orton...

Joe Orton Laid Bare

Available for 28 days on iPlayer...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...

Joe Orton Laid Bare celebrates the wit, work and world of groundbreaking sixties playwright Joe Orton in his own words and those of friends and colleagues. 50 years since his murder at the hands of his lover Kenneth Halliwell, the film charts Joe's brief meteoric rise and tragic demise, and celebrates his unique comic voice as well as his significant role in the culture of 60s swinging London.

Antony Sher, Freddie Fox and Jaime Winstone lead an all-star ensemble cast, bringing to life excerpts of Orton's hilarious work for the TV generation, while Bryan Dick plays Orton himself, walking the viewer through the streets Joe inhabited and using his diary to revive the voice of one of Britain's most controversial comic writers.

The film builds to a tense and surprising conclusion as the circumstances of Joe's death are re-examined and new evidence reveals a sinister and powerful figure at the centre of events that led to his murder. Interviewees include Kenneth Cranham, Sir Michael Codron, Christopher Hampton, Patricia Routledge, Orton biographer John Lahr and Joe's sister Leonie.

I shall be watching this in the next day or two

Nigeyb wrote: "Perhaps not a favourite, but I thoroughly enjoyed Prick Up Your Ears: The Biography of Joe Orton..."

Orton is a favourite of mine, but to see at the theatre rather than by reading. I've seen 'What the Butler Saw' and 'Loot' several times. I haven't read the autobiography but loved the film based on it with Gary Oldman and Alfred Molina.

Thanks for the heads up on the programme, Nigeyb, I hadn't spotted it and will definitely be downloading.

My pleasure Pamela.


I've only watched the first few minutes of Joe Orton Laid Bare so far...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...

....but I can already tell it is going to be a lot of fun

It has already found its way onto YouTube but I wouldn't expect it to last too long there...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsHuS...

I've now finished Joe Orton Laid Bare...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...

Highly recommended - revealing, rude, sad and very watchable