Strangest of all was the insistence that the body of Mrs McLeavy must not be played by an actor. Instead, a mannequin had to be wrapped up and hidden behind a screen even though part of the humour of the play relied on the body being visible on stage. I keep as limber as possible’ … Anah Ruddin is stuffed into the cupboard by Sam Frenchum (as Hal, left) and Calvin Demba (as Dennis). Photograph: Tristram Kenton/The Guardian

The pinnacle of satire, the darkly comic tale unfolds like a Coen Brothers remake of 'Fawlty Towers'. The audience was whooping, cheering, whistling & clapping like possessed seals…at the interval!"★★★★★ EntertainmentFocus The play had its first Broadway production in New York at the Biltmore Theatre. [4] It opened on 18 March 1968. [4] Kenneth Cranham played Hal (as he had in the 1966 London production), James Hunter played Dennis, Liam Redmond played McLeavy, Carole Shelley played Fay, George Rose played Truscott, and Norman Barrs played Meadows. [4] It was directed by Derek Goldby and designed by William Ritmann. [4] The play was profiled in the William Goldman book The Season: A Candid Look at Broadway. Taylor, Paul; "Loot, Park Theatre, London, review: Michael Fentiman's stylish and entertaining revival", The Independent, 28 August 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2018 Life and Work: 'Because We were Queers': 1 OF 2". Joe Orton Online. 28 April 1962 . Retrieved 30 March 2012.Bigsby, C. W. E., 1982. Joe Orton. Contemporary Writers series. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-416-31690-5 DiGaetani, John Louis, 2008. Stages of Struggle: Modern Playwrights and Their Psychological Inspirations, Jefferson: McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-3157-1 Loot spirals inventively into the higher reaches of preposterousness, false reasoning and sheer lunacy. A delectable amusement.’Evening Standard A phenomenal piece of theatre directed with flair & understanding of the material by Michael Fentiman. Loot is a superb farce where timing is crucial and this cast pulls it off - a magical theatrical experience."★★★★★ Boyz

Burke, Arthur, 2001. Laughter in the Dark – The Plays of Joe Orton, Billericay, Essex: Greenwich Exchange. ISBN 1-871551-56-0 Dent, Alan, 2018. Entertaining Hypocrites: The Playwriting of Joe Orton, Penniless Press Publications. ISBN 978-0-244-09226-9 The Library's buildings remain fully open but some services are limited, including access to collection items. We're Hal’s mother, Mrs McLeavy, has just died and the money is hidden in her coffin while her body is moved around the house.All upcoming public events are going ahead as planned and you can find more information on our events blog LOOT is an example of the sad fag end of the sixties as they misfired to a close.I half expect to see Withnail and I come lurching over the horizon like spectres. Censored by the Lord Chamberlain in 1964, Orton’s uproarious farce of death and ill-gotten gain is staged for the first time as it was written and intended to be performed.

The play is an extremely dark farce which satirises the Roman Catholic Church, social attitudes to death, and the integrity of the police force and was Orton's third major production. 'Loot' follows the fortunes of two young thieves, Hal and Dennis. Together they rob the bank next to the funeral parlour where Dennis works and return to Hal's home to hide the money. Hal's mother has just died and the money is hidden in her coffin while her body keeps on appearing around the house. Upon the arrival of Inspector Truscott the plot turns topsy turvy as Hal and Dennis try to keep him off their trail. Hosted by Dr Emma Parker, this unique day event featured a series of talks and readings by Orton's friends, fans, and family. Director Braham Murraydiscussed helping Orton rewrite the play; actor Michael Elwynrecalled his role as Hal in Braham Murray's 1966 production of Loot; novelist Jake Arnottexplored the real life policeman who inspired Truscott; Leonie Orton Barnett read from private letters that revealed the playwright's frustrations with the play, his final triumph, and hilarious response to complaints from conservative theatregoers. Kenneth Cranham and Leonie Orton Barnett unveiled an interactive exhibit celebrating the work of Joe Orton specially commissioned by the University Library. The exhibit featured a commemorative pot created by ceramicist Rachel Barnett, Orton’s niece, to mark the 50th anniversary of his earlier work, Entertaining Mr Sloane. It showcased material from the Joe Orton Archive held by the University Library’s Archives and Special Collections, and was curated by Natasha Barrett and Ceciel Brouwer from the School of Museum Studies.Gilbert, Gerard (24 May 1998). "Any face you want, except the real one". independent.co.uk . Retrieved 28 June 2023. Barnes, Liam (9 August 2017). "The subversive genius of Joe Orton". BBC News . Retrieved 20 July 2019. Ruskino, Susan, 1995. Joe Orton. Twayne's English Authors series. Boston: Twayne. ISBN 0-8057-7034-8. The Eamonn Andrews Show[23/04/67] (1967)". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017 . Retrieved 20 July 2019.