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Joe Orton
Use attributes for filter ! | |
Gender | Male |
---|---|
Death | 57 years ago |
Date of birth | January 1,1933 |
Zodiac sign | Capricorn |
Born | Leicester |
United Kingdom | |
Date of died | August 9,1967 |
Died | Islington |
London | |
United Kingdom | |
Siblings | Marilyn Orton |
Douglas Orton | |
Leonie Orton | |
Job | Author |
Playwright | |
Movies/Shows | Loot |
Entertaining Mr Sloane | |
Awards | Obie Award for Best Foreign Play |
Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Revival | |
Parents | William A. Orton |
Plays | Loot |
Date of Reg. | |
Date of Upd. | |
ID | 405132 |
The Complete Plays
The Erpingham Camp
Fred and Madge: The Visitors : Two Plays
Head to toe
Between Us Girls: A Novel
The Boy Hairdresser: And, Lord Cucumber : Two Novels
Crimes of Passion: The Ruffian on the Stair, The Erpingham Camp
Orton Complete Plays: Entertaining Mr Sloane; Loot; What the Butler; Ruffian; Erpingham Camp; Funeral Games; Good & . . .
Funeral Games: And, The Good and Faithful Servant
The Methuen Drama Book of Plays from the Sixties: Roots; Serjeant Musgrave's Dance; Loot; Early Morning; the Ruling Class
Contemporary British Plays
Roof
Joe Orton Life story
John Kingsley Orton, known under the pen name of Joe Orton, was an English playwright, author and diarist. His public career, from 1964 until his death in 1967, was short but highly influential. During this brief period he shocked, outraged and amused audiences with his scandalous black comedies.
London's long-term lav affair: A history of public toilets in the capital
![London's long-term lav affair: A history of public toilets in the capital](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/0F19/production/_122656830_gettyimages-52955049.jpg)
... Star-spotters might like to know it is the place where George Michael was arrested for drugs offences in 2008 - and, according to Historic England, is the " only public convenience still in use that we know was used by [playwright] Joe Orton to cruise"...
Elephant Man city statue plan faces 'freak show' criticism
![Elephant Man city statue plan faces 'freak show' criticism](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/AE18/production/_106786544_elephant_man.jpg)
... the plans for a statue to the memory of murdered playwright Joe Orton of the world to act and in November...
Elephant Man city statue plan faces 'freak show' criticism
By Greig WatsonBBC News
Prejudice has hampered attempts to build a statue to The Elephant Man, his biographer has claimed.
Jo Vigor-Mungovin, who traced Joseph Merrick 's grave, has been trying to raise the estimated £100,000 cost for a monument in his native Leicester.
But progress has been slow with critics saying the idea was a " freak show" and The City was already " ugly enough".
Mrs Vigor-Mungovin said: " There is a fear of what The Statue would be Like - But he was an inspirational figure".
But the have been backed by artist and disability campaigner Alison Lapper Who Said anyone offended should " get Over It ".
Merrick was born in Leicester in 1862 But his physical disabilities forced him into a workhouse.
In 1884 he joined a travelling exhibition and eventually found His Way to The Royal London Hospital , where he died in 1890.
While Merrick's skeleton was kept at The Hospital , his soft tissue was buried in a common plot But its location was forgotten.
Shortly after, Mrs Vigor-Mungovin began looking into erecting a statue to Merrick.
" I wasn't expecting it to be controversial, " She Said . " But I've come across the same reaction over and over.
" When I approach funding sources or venues, people seem interested at first But when they hear it will be a statue of The Elephant Man, they seem a bit shocked.
" They either say 'you can't do that' or stop answering emails or The Phone .
" I'm a descendant of Tom Norman , the showman who worked with Joseph, and I've even been accused of being an accomplice to a 'Vampire showman's crime'. "
Joseph MerrickA letter printed in the Leicester Mercury newspaper said: " He was a freak of Nature . . our poor City has become ugly enough without a statue of this poor man being displayed. "
The Appeal 's Facebook page has been challenged, with one person questioning whether Merrick deserves a statue, saying: " He had a rare condition and apparently that makes him somewhat amazing. "
Other comments from people called it a " freak show" or said " let's have another [statue] of a bear dancing on hot coals" and " disfigurement should not be celebrated".
Despite only raising a fraction of the cost, Mrs Vigor-Mungovin said she was still trying to realise her dream, with fundraising events, new designs for The Statue and a possible exhibition of items related to Merrick.
" I think the maquette [miniature design] will put a lot of people's mind At Rest , " She Said .
" And I Am hoping to get items from The Royal London Hospital for The Exhibition , maybe even the full-size copy of his skeleton. "
It is not the only statue of a notable Leicester figure being planned for The City - and others appear to have been more warmly received.
Plans for a statue to commemorate murdered playwright Joe Orton have from the acting world and in November.
And last April then-MP Keith Vaz said a statue should be built, who died in a helicopter crash outside The Club 's stadium in 2018. The design Mr Vaz suggested was of two elephants, with The Animal being a symbol of Good Luck in Thailand.
Artist Ms Lapper, who was born without arms and with shortened legs, became famous when a statue of her, naked and pregnant, was displayed on Trafalgar Square 's fourth plinth.
" Attitudes have changed since then, But not hugely, " She Said . " I remember sitting below my statue and seeing children being hurried away, people muttering it was 'inappropriate' But it started a conversation which is Still Going on today.
" I can't imagine how hard it must have been being disabled in the Victorian Era , it was hard enough for me being born in the 60s.
" It would be great to see a statue of Joseph, especially if it highlights his courage getting himself out of the workhouse.
" People still feel uncomfortable around disability But if that's All That stopping this, then I say 'Tough, get Over It '. "
Mrs Vigor-Mungovin said: " People's ideas of him are dominated by The Film from the 1980s, they want to feel sorry for him.
" But The Real story is he had quite a good life, all things considered.
" He took control, he used his condition to his advantage, it's a powerful story. "
history, alison lapper, leicester, sculptures
Source of news: bbc.com