CityLife

Octagon serves up a classic

JOE Orton is now acknowledged as one of the great post-war British writers and What the Butler Saw is acclaimed as a classic.

Directed by Mark Babych, a new version of the play is at the Bolton Octagon now.

His recent notable successes include a record-breaking production of A View From The Bridge earlier this year, and Blonde Bombshells Of 1943, which has just finished hugely popular runs at both the Octagon and at London's Hampstead Theatre.

He describes the play as "one of the greatest farces in British history" for the way it brings together taut, witty dialogue and brilliantly observed characters in outrageous situations.

But one of the stars of the Bolton production, Knight Mantell, remembers that things were very different for Orton when he met him back in the Sixties.

"I was one of the first students on the Drama degree course at Manchester University," says the veteran actor, "and Braham Murray, who's now at the Royal Exchange, of course, was directing a production of Loot at the University Theatre for Theatre 69, the precursor of the Exchange.

Black leather

"One day during rehearsals, this odd-looking character appeared, wearing a black leather jacket and cap. In fact, as I remember it, he looked rather like a rent boy, although at the time we knew nothing of his lifestyle.

"It was, obviously, Joe Orton himself and it emerged he'd been rather battered by the scathing reviews Loot had received in London. The production there with Kenneth Williams had been a total disaster, it seems, and he was very keen to see what we were doing, while staying out of harm's way.

"To be perfectly honest with you, I can't remember very much of what we chatted about during those four weeks and now you do think 'if only'. That production, was, though, the one which began to make his name again, so it was very significant for him and, I suppose, for English theatre."

A short while later, Orton was murdered by his lover and Knight recalls hearing the news on the radio at his mum and dad's house. "She thought it was so disgusting, she got up and switched the radio off!", he recalls.

What The Butler Saw is on at the Bolton Octagon until Saturday, November 18. é7.50 - é17. Call 01204 520661.