{"product_id":"book-kocf","title":"Joe Orton: A BBC Radio Drama Collection","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSelected plays by the great playwright Joe Orton, plus bonus material \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJoe Orton was among the towering geniuses of 1960s theatre. His life was tragically cut short in 1967, but he left behind him a handful of shocking and scabrous black comedies that will live on in the public imagination for years to come. Orton’s career was kickstarted by the BBC. John Tydeman who is widely considered to have found him when working at the BBC as an trainee. He came across an early version of \u003ci\u003eThe Ruffian on the Stair\u003c\/i\u003e called \u003ci\u003eThe Boy Hairdresser\u003c\/i\u003e and persuaded his seniors to let him meet him and discuss the play, there began a friendship that shaped Orton’s life. Tydeman recommended a top literary agent and the rest is history.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFeatured here are two of his lesser-known works, \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Erpingham Camp\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Ruffian on the Stair\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e, collected together as a double bill. The former, loosely based on Euripides’ tragedy \u003ci\u003eThe Bacchae\u003c\/i\u003e, is an anarchic, subversive farce set in a holiday camp, where a group of campers decide to revolt against the dictatorial owner. It stars an ensemble cast, including \u003cb\u003eRobert Daws\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eJonjo O’Neill\u003c\/b\u003e. In the latter, Orton’s breakthrough hit, an ex-boxer (\u003cb\u003eGerard Horan\u003c\/b\u003e) and an ex-prostitute (\u003cb\u003eSophie Thompson\u003c\/b\u003e) have their lives disrupted by a stranger (\u003cb\u003eJack Rowan\u003c\/b\u003e). Recorded live at the BBC’s radio theatre in 2017 to mark the 50th anniversary of Orton's death, the plays are accompanied by an interview with Orton's friend, Kenneth Cranham, who discusses the Joe Orton he knew.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAlso featured are the darkly comic \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFuneral Games\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e, starring \u003cb\u003ePhil Daniels, Martin Jarvis\u003c\/b\u003e, \u003cb\u003eTony Rohr\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb\u003eLiza Sadovy\u003c\/b\u003e, which takes a sideswipe at religious hypocrisy and is considered the linking work between his two key plays, \u003ci\u003eLoot\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eWhat the Butler Saw\u003c\/i\u003e. Plus, \u003cb\u003eJohn Sessions\u003c\/b\u003e reads extracts from Joe Orton’s posthumously published journals in \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Orton Diaries\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e;\u003c\/i\u003e Ned Sherrin hears from Kenneth Williams about his experiences directing \u003ci\u003eLoot\u003c\/i\u003e in \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKenneth Williams on Joe Orton\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e, and Samira Akhmed talks to guests including Orton’s sister Leonie and Sheila Hancock about the playwright’s life and legacy in \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFront Row: Joe Orton\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eProduction credits\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003eText copyright © Joe Orton 1964 (\u003ci\u003eThe Ruffian on the Stair\u003c\/i\u003e), 1966 (\u003ci\u003eThe Erpingham Camp\u003c\/i\u003e), 1968 (\u003ci\u003eFuneral Games\u003c\/i\u003e), 1986 (\u003ci\u003eThe Orton Diaries\u003c\/i\u003e)\u003cbr\u003eAll rights reserved\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Erpingham Camp\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eErpingham – \u003cb\u003eRobert Daws\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRiley – \u003cb\u003eJonjo O'Neill\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLou – \u003cb\u003eKerry Gooderson\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTed – \u003cb\u003eSamuel James\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKenny – \u003cb\u003eCharlie Clements\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEileen – \u003cb\u003eSarah Ridgeway\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eW.E. Harrison – \u003cb\u003eTom Forrister\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJessie Mason – \u003cb\u003eSanchia McCormack\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePadre – \u003cb\u003eSimon Ludders\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAccordion Player – \u003cb\u003eColin Guthrie\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Ruffian on the Stair\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMike – \u003cb\u003eGerard Horan\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJoyce – \u003cb\u003eSophie Thompson\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWilson – \u003cb\u003eJack Rowan\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProduced by Mary Peate\u003cbr\u003eKenneth Cranham interview by Matthew Sweet\u003cbr\u003eFirst broadcast BBC Radio 3, 2 July 2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFuneral Games\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCaulfield – \u003cb\u003ePhil Daniels\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePringle – \u003cb\u003eMartin Jarvis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMcCorquodale – \u003cb\u003eTony Rohr\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTessa – \u003cb\u003eLiza Sadovy\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePoliceman – \u003cb\u003eBen Crowe\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProduced and directed by Peter Kavanagh\u003cbr\u003eFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11 July 2008\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eJoe Orton: The Orton Diaries\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDiary selections read by John Sessions\u003cbr\u003eProduced by Ned Chaillet\u003cbr\u003eFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 March 1994\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKenneth Williams on Joe Orton\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith Kenneth Williams and Ned Sherrin\u003cbr\u003eProduced by Ian Gardhouse\u003cbr\u003eFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, September 1980\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFront Row: Joe Orton\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePresented by Samira Ahmed\u003cbr\u003eProduced by Ekene Akalawu\u003cbr\u003eWith Leonie Orton, Emma Parker, Sally Norman, Jenna Forbes, John Lahr, Sheila Hancock, Nikolai Foster\u003cbr\u003eFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 11 August 2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e© 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin UK","offers":[{"title":"Audiobook","offer_id":50116089381168,"sku":"BDkocf","price":14.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0879\/2784\/9264\/files\/689933-kocf-Square.jpg?v=1757018845","url":"https:\/\/downpour.com\/products\/book-kocf","provider":"Downpour","version":"1.0","type":"link"}