Joe Orton, A Genius Like Us (Part 1 of 8)

[@DaveSCameron]

I am so glad to have discovered Joe Orton and his seminal almost essential English character, such a tragedy we never saw his talent evolve. My nephew attended his partner /killers grammar school here on the Wirral and I still can't get on a bus without Orton entering my mind. 👍 🙏 ❤

[@alexcampion2461]

anyone else giggling about joe's neighbour- 'I says, "he's had a hit," he says, "he has-he's dead."' right out of one of his plays.

[@morrisseysquiff1063]

Alex Campion life imitating art

[@DaveSCameron]

Watched Loot with Sharon from Eastenders starring back in the 1990s at the Norwich theatre and despite the company I laughed my arse off, can't encourage people to check out Joe Orton enough, an English jewel. 🙏📚☘️❤️

[@Thoughtcat]

Never seen this before, thanks for posting. Where are parts 2 and 3? Related videos seem to go straight to part 4.

[@minekara6407]

BBC is so rubbish nowadays..... Although I was very young....I always enjoyed the Arena programmes

[@deliadavidson6186]

joe, was brilliant, yes he had many faults,like all of us. an englsh eccentric,gone but never forgotten, who ever mentions halliwell.

[@FriedEggsWithChips]

Sure - if you can forget the fact that one of them murdered Joe Orton by bludgeoning him to death - his longtime friend and lover, too!

[@schizoidman601]

I spent an afternoon in Joe and Ken's flat, about 15 years ago, when it was vacant. I filmed my visit, and at one point, delivered a piece to camera, sitting on a day bed, that was in the same position that Joe's bed had been in 1967. I heard my camera making some strange noises. On watching the film back, later, a milky-white "cloud" appeared on the film, and the noise that I'd heard from my camera, was its auto-focus, trying to focus on me, through whatever it was that it had recorded.

[@markharrison2059]

Would love to take a peek at that matey!

[@calebcostigan2561]

It wasn’t a ghost.

[@mooneepondskid]

Claustraphobia and paranoia can be deadly partners.

[@kikeheebchinkjigaboo6631]

I want to know if there’s a book on the art of halliway

[@johnbarry1965]

@bensimps123 Everytime i see John Lahr i always think "Pud em up,Pud em up"!!!!!

[@matthewrothenberg8661]

Shyamini1000: It sounds like you may have personal history with these men. I don't. I read Joe Orton's collected work many years ago without knowing the back story, and I found him absolutely brilliant. I still do. Reading biographies, I don't think he was a nice person ... But it sounds like you're juxtaposing animosity toward the guy with your assessment of his work, which this disinterested spectator finds spectacular.

[@matthewrothenberg8661]

Huh. I read the Lahr biography and found it acutely aware of homophobia, class prejudice, and the complexity of Halliwell's and Orton's emotional relationship. I am a straight U.S. citizen and may have missed the false notes that disturb you ... But the pressures and dynamics you describe were manifest to me via Lahr's writing.

[@Sol-Cutta]

Where's part 8 for fucks sake xx🙉🙊🙈

[@matthewrothenberg8661]

Halliwell is certainly a tragic figure. I've never read anything that makes me think he was a particularly nice man, either ... Halliwell's life seems like a profoundly sad journey: wishing to be extraordinary but missing (perhaps by just a hair) the talent or motivation to achieve it. You might not like Orton's plays (I do) or his behavior (I don't, either) ... But he did actually complete a lot of work during his short life.

[@bensimps123]

thought lahr said he didnt want to go in there flat? then he's sat in there

[@EuphemiaGrubb]

I thought it was my imagination that John Lahr presented like a major tosser in various docs I have watched about Orton & Halliwell. However, no. Lahr is indeed lacking in empathy and imagination as a 'I'll just jump on successful peoples bandwagons writer' He is also devoid of any understanding about this couples relationship.

[@johnbarry1965]

Orton was the 1960's Sex Pistols!!!!!

[@hippobitch]

Coolest gays ever!!!!!

[@edmund184]

maybe, but they did end up dead! Rather crass statement.