Articles

One: The writing style of Joe Orton often played with establishments and institutions creating great humour by irreverently mocking them. The police, museums, social clubs, medical institutions, political figures, clergymen and family were all prime targets for his sophisticated, sharp wit.

Exercise: Pick an institution or an establishment. Character A holds a position there, and Character B is applying for a job they are very keen on getting. With this setting in mind, write a dialogue that explores the sexuality of the interviewer. Might the applicant be shocked at the questions of the interviewer? Aroused? Confused, yet considering the options? You can have fun with the possibilities. In the spirit of Orton, create strong reactions for the applicant, never allowing the interview to move into inappropriate behavior. You can increase the pace, rythm and tempo as a reaction to the motives of the characters. Can you create a 'naughty professionalism' much like the farcical doctors in Joe Orton's 'What The Butler Saw.'

TWO: Some 'Ortonesque' characters, when explored in more depth, enjoy forbidden sexualities they will only dare allude to, and never mention directly. As an openly gay man, Orton used his writing to push boundaries with the audience regarding what was mentionable behavior in a West End play. Some critics referred to this style as 'debauchery made literary.' Word wit, ornamental word choices, comical words and camply verbose turns of phrase were great liberators to Orton's plays, and allowed him to get away with wildly heightened dialogue.

Exercise: Create a few sentences with especially ornate words for your characters. You may use the characters above, or create two new characters you feel you know well. Then, think about some sample taboos like incest, promiscuity, cross dressing or role play. Use one of these taboos or feel free to create your own. Experiment with words that may describe any of the taboos in 'colourfully innocent' ways, only suggesting anything graphic in very oblique ways. Consider the poetry in your words, as well as the alliteration (words that sound alike). How might an especially lascivious character make an illlicit affair sould like a wholesome walk in the park? What would it be like if cross dressing was a necessity to join the police force? What would be the words used to cover the kinky joy of that activity, and make it seem like normal behavior.