Website records life and times of Orton
A website dedicated to the life and times of gay playwright Joe Orton has been launched.
Leicester City Council joined forces with the University of Leicester and Islington Council to create the site, which has the endorsement of the Orton Estate.
Despite his professional career lasting a mere three years, Joe Orton is still remembered as one of the most talented and outrageous playwrights of the 20th century.
Entertaining Mr Sloane, Loot and What the Butler Saw took London by storm and established him as a major talent.
However, his jealous lover Kenneth Halliwell bludgeoned him to death in August 1967, then killed himself.
In 1987 Gary Oldman played Orton in a biopic, Prick Up Your Ears.
The new website includes information on Orton’s plays and diaries, news and events, an online gallery, articles, essays and research by Orton scholars.
It follows a hugely-popular series of events and exhibitions in Leicester in 2007 focusing on the playwright.
Leicester City Council’s arts and museums marketing manager, Shaun Knapp, said:
“The Ortonesque exhibition last year was a tremendous success for Leicester, attracting 25,000 people from around the country and Europe. For the first time, the content of that exhibition is online for even more people to enjoy.”
The new Joe Orton website is at www.joeorton.org
