Laughter in the Dark

This text examines two major facets of Joe Orton: Orton, the playright, had a rare ability to delight and shock audiences with such outrageous farces as "Loot" and "What the Butler Saw". Orton, the man, was excessively promiscuous and caught up in a destructive relationship with a jealous and violent older man. In this study, Burke dissects Orton's comedy and traces the connection between the man and the work.