Joe Orton
Overview
) was an English playwright.
In a short but prolific career lasting from 1964 until his death, he shocked, outraged and amused audiences with his scandalous black comedies
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
. The adjective Ortonesque is now used to refer to something characterised by a dark but farcical cynicism.
John Kingsley Orton was born at Causeway Lane Maternity Hospital, Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, to William and Elsie Orton.
Quotations
Fay: The Ten Commandments. She was a great believer in some of them.
Fay: Your explanation had the ring of truth. Naturally I disbelieved every word.
Truscott (shouting, knocking Hal to the floor): Under any other political system I'd have you on the floor in tears!Hal (crying): You've got me on the floor in tears!