31:
165:
The play consists of two acts - though the action is continuous - and revolves around a Dr
Prentice, a psychiatrist attempting to seduce his attractive prospective secretary, Geraldine Barclay. The play opens with the doctor examining Geraldine in a job interview, during which he persuades her to
173:
Dr
Prentice's clinic is also faced with a government inspection, led by Dr Rance, which reveals the chaos in the clinic. Dr Rance talks about how he will use the situation to develop a new book: "The final chapters of my book are knitting together: incest, buggery, outrageous women and strange
169:
His wife, however, is also being seduced and blackmailed, by
Nicholas Beckett. She therefore promises Nicholas the post as secretary, which adds further confusion, including Nicholas, Geraldine and a police officer dressing as members of the opposite sex.
1295:
1397:
320:. She realised that the last line of the play had been given to the wrong character, and by referring to Orton's handwritten manuscript was able to give it back to the correct character.
1303:
784:
878:
690:
910:
1219:
1427:
1279:
1182:
1375:
953:
573:
1259:
1553:
1509:
1573:
477:
915:
731:
166:
undress. The situation becomes more intense when Mrs
Prentice enters, causing the doctor to hide Geraldine behind a curtain.
1568:
1061:
1026:
1413:
1583:
1563:
1558:
1389:
1243:
892:
1211:
1341:
1147:
122:. He began work on the play in 1966 and completed it in July 1967, one month before his death. It opened at the
1487:
1175:
1002:
545:
1578:
1335:
946:
126:
in London on 5 March 1969. Orton's final play, it was the second to be performed after his death, following
1525:
1349:
994:
433:
379:
30:
1501:
1361:
1227:
1088:
770:
698:
495:
1104:
864:
804:
756:
818:
1449:
1034:
567:
332:
313:
128:
978:
1548:
1369:
1273:
1168:
1120:
1112:
986:
579:
549:
255:
1471:
1457:
1139:
1018:
939:
491:
195:
The original production, having toured briefly from
January 1969, opened in the West End at the
1479:
1419:
1287:
1267:
1203:
926:
789:
727:
668:
641:
629:
437:
324:
263:
200:
179:
1069:
259:
236:
196:
123:
62:
843:
635:
623:
513:
395:
383:
299:
82:
a couple succeed in extracurricular seductions and frantically try to hide their conquests
1160:
1517:
1443:
1355:
1319:
672:
585:
441:
407:
350:
328:
275:
212:
1542:
1405:
1235:
1096:
653:
606:
519:
507:
471:
465:
459:
453:
425:
419:
344:
287:
242:
230:
1327:
647:
611:
537:
531:
525:
483:
401:
365:
317:
305:
224:
218:
1493:
1463:
1010:
561:
544:
7) A 2017 production directed by
Nikolai Foster was a co-production between the
356:
293:
175:
174:
love-cults catering for depraved appetites. All the fashionable bric-a-brac." A
1435:
1383:
1311:
1191:
676:
413:
371:
116:
963:
660:
281:
119:
44:
931:
1296:
For
Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf
920:
203:, it was directed by Robert Chetwyn and designed by Hutchinson Scott.
785:"Obituary: Antonia Bird, Television director with a flair for gritty"
691:"Reviews: Theatre – What the Butler Saw Hampstead Theatre London HHH"
879:"Cast Announced for "What the Butler Saw" at the Vaudeville Theatre"
112:
90:
893:"Theatre review: What the Butler Saw at Curve Theatre, Leicester"
601:
440:
and then went on tour prior to returning to the RNT repertoire.
199:
on 5 March. Presented by
Lewenstein-Delfont Productions Ltd and
1164:
935:
679:
as
Nicholas Beckett, it was transmitted on 18 September 1995.
436:
production of the play premiered in
February at the RNT's
667:
series included a short extract from the play. Featuring
1398:
A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant
610:
series. First transmitted on 24 May, it was produced by
865:"Production of What the Butler Saw | Theatricalia"
805:"Production of What the Butler Saw | Theatricalia"
771:"Production of What the Butler Saw | Theatricalia"
757:"Production of What the Butler Saw | Theatricalia"
1131:
1080:
1053:
970:
96:
86:
78:
70:
58:
50:
40:
23:
331:, opened in November 1990 and transferred to the
724:Prick up Your Ears: The Biography of Joe Orton
490:6) There was a further revival in 2012 at the
1176:
947:
262:, opened in July 1975 and transferred to the
35:original window card, Whitehall Theatre, 1975
8:
1304:Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You
726:. New York: Knopf, 1978, pp. 222, 271–272
1183:
1169:
1161:
954:
940:
932:
312:2) A revival in April 1977 at Leicester's
29:
20:
182:") is held aloft in the climactic scene.
715:
100:an examination room in a private clinic
498:, which ran from 16 May to 25 August.
1220:Six Characters in Search of an Author
1192:Obie Award for Best New American Play
7:
1428:The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity
378:4) The play was revived in 1994 at
1260:The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel
14:
1510:What the Constitution Means to Me
600:In 1987 the play was adapted for
386:, and ran from 7 April to 7 May.
1280:When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?
916:Internet Off-Broadway Database
1:
1027:The Good and Faithful Servant
614:and directed by Barry Davis.
362:Ben Porter – Nicholas Beckett
1414:Circle Mirror Transformation
689:Paul Taylor (26 July 2005).
665:Blow Your Mind – See a Show
591:Ravi Aujla – Sergeant Match
178:("the missing parts of Sir
1600:
1390:The Romance of Magno Rubio
1244:The Indian Wants the Bronx
922:What the Butler Saw (film)
380:The Royal Exchange Theatre
1488:Underground Railroad Game
1376:Hedwig and the Angry Inch
1342:Love! Valour! Compassion!
1198:
323:3) A revival at London's
254:1) A revival at London's
28:
16:Play written by Joe Orton
1554:Obie Award-winning plays
1212:Who'll Save the Plowboy?
1003:The Ruffian on the Stair
546:Curve Theatre, Leicester
746:, 23 January 1969, p.8.
115:written by the English
1574:Plays set in the 1960s
1350:How I Learned to Drive
1062:Entertaining Mr Sloane
995:Entertaining Mr Sloane
434:Royal National Theatre
1526:Dark Disabled Stories
1362:The Vagina Monologues
819:"What the Butler Saw"
266:the following month.
1569:Plays set in England
742:'Playgoers' Diary',
675:as Mrs Prentice and
568:Dakota Blue Richards
1274:The Hot l Baltimore
1252:What the Butler Saw
1121:The Boy Hairdresser
1043:What the Butler Saw
911:What the Butler Saw
632:– Geraldine Barclay
570:– Geraldine Barclay
550:Theatre Royal, Bath
516:– Geraldine Barclay
462:– Geraldine Barclay
444:directed the play.
404:– Geraldine Barclay
353:– Geraldine Barclay
314:Phoenix Arts Centre
284:– Geraldine Barclay
256:Royal Court Theatre
221:– Geraldine Barclay
108:What the Butler Saw
24:What the Butler Saw
1584:Black comedy plays
1564:Plays by Joe Orton
1559:Off-Broadway plays
1502:Describe the Night
1148:Prick Up Your Ears
1140:Prick Up Your Ears
1019:The Erpingham Camp
793:. 30 October 2013.
644:– Nicholas Beckett
582:– Nicholas Beckett
528:– Nicholas Beckett
492:Vaudeville Theatre
474:– Nicholas Beckett
416:– Nicholas Beckett
296:– Nicholas Beckett
233:– Nicholas Beckett
1536:
1535:
1480:Guards at the Taj
1158:
1157:
1105:The Orton Diaries
790:Independent.co.uk
642:Tyler Butterworth
630:Tessa Peake-Jones
574:Catherine Russell
438:Lyttelton Theatre
335:in January 1991.
333:Wyndham's Theatre
325:Hampstead Theatre
264:Whitehall Theatre
201:H. M. Tennent Ltd
180:Winston Churchill
149:Geraldine Barclay
104:
103:
71:Original language
1591:
1185:
1178:
1171:
1162:
1132:Related articles
956:
949:
942:
933:
897:
896:
889:
883:
882:
881:. 16 March 2012.
875:
869:
868:
861:
855:
854:
852:
850:
840:
834:
833:
831:
829:
815:
809:
808:
801:
795:
794:
781:
775:
774:
767:
761:
760:
753:
747:
740:
734:
720:
710:
708:
706:
697:. Archived from
671:as Dr Prentice,
656:– Sergeant Match
540:– Sergeant Match
486:– Sergeant Match
428:– Sergeant Match
374:– Sergeant Match
316:was directed by
308:– Sergeant Match
260:Lindsay Anderson
245:– Sergeant Match
237:Ralph Richardson
155:Nicholas Beckett
33:
21:
1599:
1598:
1594:
1593:
1592:
1590:
1589:
1588:
1539:
1538:
1537:
1532:
1450:Grimly Handsome
1194:
1189:
1159:
1154:
1127:
1076:
1049:
966:
960:
906:
901:
900:
895:. 3 March 2017.
891:
890:
886:
877:
876:
872:
863:
862:
858:
848:
846:
842:
841:
837:
827:
825:
817:
816:
812:
803:
802:
798:
783:
782:
778:
769:
768:
764:
755:
754:
750:
741:
737:
721:
717:
704:
702:
701:on 14 June 2008
695:The Independent
688:
685:
636:Prunella Scales
624:Dinsdale Landen
598:
514:Georgia Tennant
396:David Horovitch
384:Robert Delamere
300:Valentine Dyall
252:
197:Queen's Theatre
193:
188:
138:
124:Queen's Theatre
66:London, England
65:
63:Queen's Theatre
59:Place premiered
54:27 January 1969
36:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1597:
1595:
1587:
1586:
1581:
1579:West End plays
1576:
1571:
1566:
1561:
1556:
1551:
1541:
1540:
1534:
1533:
1531:
1530:
1522:
1514:
1506:
1498:
1484:
1476:
1468:
1454:
1440:
1432:
1424:
1410:
1402:
1394:
1380:
1366:
1346:
1332:
1324:
1316:
1308:
1300:
1292:
1284:
1264:
1256:
1248:
1240:
1232:
1224:
1216:
1208:
1199:
1196:
1195:
1190:
1188:
1187:
1180:
1173:
1165:
1156:
1155:
1153:
1152:
1144:
1135:
1133:
1129:
1128:
1126:
1125:
1117:
1109:
1101:
1093:
1084:
1082:
1078:
1077:
1075:
1074:
1066:
1057:
1055:
1051:
1050:
1048:
1047:
1039:
1031:
1023:
1015:
1007:
999:
991:
983:
979:Fred and Madge
974:
972:
968:
967:
961:
959:
958:
951:
944:
936:
930:
929:
918:
905:
904:External links
902:
899:
898:
884:
870:
856:
835:
810:
796:
776:
762:
748:
735:
714:
713:
712:
711:
684:
681:
673:Frances Barber
658:
657:
651:
645:
639:
638:– Mrs Prentice
633:
627:
620:
619:
597:
594:
593:
592:
589:
586:Jasper Britton
583:
577:
576:– Mrs Prentice
571:
565:
558:
557:
542:
541:
535:
529:
523:
522:– Mrs Prentice
517:
511:
504:
503:
494:, directed by
488:
487:
481:
478:Richard Wilson
475:
469:
468:– Mrs Prentice
463:
457:
450:
449:
442:Phyllida Lloyd
432:5) In 1995, a
430:
429:
423:
417:
411:
410:– Mrs Prentice
408:Deborah Norton
405:
399:
392:
391:
382:, directed by
376:
375:
369:
363:
360:
359:– Mrs Prentice
354:
351:Camille Coduri
348:
341:
340:
329:John Tillinger
327:, directed by
310:
309:
303:
297:
291:
290:– Mrs Prentice
285:
279:
276:Michael Medwin
272:
271:
258:, directed by
251:
250:Stage revivals
248:
247:
246:
240:
234:
228:
227:– Mrs Prentice
222:
216:
213:Stanley Baxter
209:
208:
192:
189:
187:
184:
163:
162:
161:Sergeant Match
159:
156:
153:
150:
147:
143:
142:
137:
134:
102:
101:
98:
94:
93:
88:
84:
83:
80:
76:
75:
72:
68:
67:
60:
56:
55:
52:
51:Date premiered
48:
47:
42:
38:
37:
34:
26:
25:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1596:
1585:
1582:
1580:
1577:
1575:
1572:
1570:
1567:
1565:
1562:
1560:
1557:
1555:
1552:
1550:
1547:
1546:
1544:
1528:
1527:
1523:
1520:
1519:
1515:
1512:
1511:
1507:
1504:
1503:
1499:
1496:
1495:
1490:
1489:
1485:
1482:
1481:
1477:
1474:
1473:
1469:
1466:
1465:
1460:
1459:
1455:
1452:
1451:
1446:
1445:
1441:
1438:
1437:
1433:
1430:
1429:
1425:
1422:
1421:
1416:
1415:
1411:
1408:
1407:
1403:
1400:
1399:
1395:
1392:
1391:
1386:
1385:
1381:
1378:
1377:
1372:
1371:
1367:
1364:
1363:
1358:
1357:
1352:
1351:
1347:
1344:
1343:
1338:
1337:
1336:Floyd Collins
1333:
1330:
1329:
1325:
1322:
1321:
1317:
1314:
1313:
1309:
1306:
1305:
1301:
1298:
1297:
1293:
1290:
1289:
1285:
1282:
1281:
1276:
1275:
1270:
1269:
1265:
1262:
1261:
1257:
1254:
1253:
1249:
1246:
1245:
1241:
1238:
1237:
1236:The Old Glory
1233:
1230:
1229:
1225:
1222:
1221:
1217:
1214:
1213:
1209:
1206:
1205:
1201:
1200:
1197:
1193:
1186:
1181:
1179:
1174:
1172:
1167:
1166:
1163:
1150:
1149:
1145:
1142:
1141:
1137:
1136:
1134:
1130:
1123:
1122:
1118:
1115:
1114:
1113:Lord Cucumber
1110:
1107:
1106:
1102:
1099:
1098:
1097:Up Against It
1094:
1091:
1090:
1086:
1085:
1083:
1079:
1072:
1071:
1067:
1064:
1063:
1059:
1058:
1056:
1052:
1045:
1044:
1040:
1037:
1036:
1035:Funeral Games
1032:
1029:
1028:
1024:
1021:
1020:
1016:
1013:
1012:
1008:
1005:
1004:
1000:
997:
996:
992:
989:
988:
984:
981:
980:
976:
975:
973:
969:
965:
962:The works of
957:
952:
950:
945:
943:
938:
937:
934:
928:
924:
923:
919:
917:
913:
912:
908:
907:
903:
894:
888:
885:
880:
874:
871:
866:
860:
857:
845:
839:
836:
824:
820:
814:
811:
806:
800:
797:
792:
791:
786:
780:
777:
772:
766:
763:
758:
752:
749:
745:
739:
736:
733:
729:
725:
719:
716:
700:
696:
692:
687:
686:
682:
680:
678:
674:
670:
666:
662:
655:
654:Bryan Pringle
652:
649:
646:
643:
640:
637:
634:
631:
628:
626:– Dr Prentice
625:
622:
621:
617:
616:
615:
613:
609:
608:
607:Theatre Night
603:
595:
590:
587:
584:
581:
578:
575:
572:
569:
566:
564:– Dr Prentice
563:
560:
559:
555:
554:
553:
551:
547:
539:
536:
533:
530:
527:
524:
521:
520:Samantha Bond
518:
515:
512:
510:– Dr Prentice
509:
508:Tim McInnerny
506:
505:
501:
500:
499:
497:
493:
485:
482:
479:
476:
473:
472:David Tennant
470:
467:
466:Nicola Pagett
464:
461:
460:Debra Gillett
458:
456:– Dr Prentice
455:
454:John Alderton
452:
451:
447:
446:
445:
443:
439:
435:
427:
426:Billy Hartman
424:
421:
420:Trevor Baxter
418:
415:
412:
409:
406:
403:
400:
398:– Dr Prentice
397:
394:
393:
389:
388:
387:
385:
381:
373:
370:
367:
364:
361:
358:
355:
352:
349:
347:– Dr Prentice
346:
345:Clive Francis
343:
342:
338:
337:
336:
334:
330:
326:
321:
319:
315:
307:
304:
301:
298:
295:
292:
289:
288:Betty Marsden
286:
283:
280:
278:– Dr Prentice
277:
274:
273:
269:
268:
267:
265:
261:
257:
249:
244:
243:Peter Bayliss
241:
238:
235:
232:
231:Hayward Morse
229:
226:
223:
220:
217:
215:– Dr Prentice
214:
211:
210:
206:
205:
204:
202:
198:
190:
185:
183:
181:
177:
171:
167:
160:
157:
154:
151:
148:
145:
144:
140:
139:
135:
133:
131:
130:
129:Funeral Games
125:
121:
118:
114:
111:is a two-act
110:
109:
99:
95:
92:
89:
85:
81:
77:
73:
69:
64:
61:
57:
53:
49:
46:
43:
39:
32:
27:
22:
19:
1524:
1516:
1508:
1500:
1492:
1486:
1478:
1470:
1462:
1456:
1448:
1442:
1434:
1426:
1418:
1412:
1404:
1396:
1388:
1382:
1374:
1370:Golden Child
1368:
1360:
1354:
1348:
1340:
1334:
1326:
1318:
1310:
1302:
1294:
1286:
1278:
1272:
1266:
1258:
1251:
1250:
1242:
1234:
1226:
1218:
1210:
1202:
1146:
1138:
1119:
1111:
1103:
1095:
1087:
1068:
1060:
1042:
1041:
1033:
1025:
1017:
1009:
1001:
993:
987:The Visitors
985:
977:
921:
909:
887:
873:
859:
847:. Retrieved
838:
826:. Retrieved
823:Theatricalia
822:
813:
799:
788:
779:
765:
751:
743:
738:
723:
722:Lahr, John.
718:
703:. Retrieved
699:the original
694:
664:
659:
648:Timothy West
612:Shaun Sutton
605:
599:
543:
538:Jason Thorpe
532:Omid Djalili
526:Nick Hendrix
489:
484:Jeremy Swift
431:
402:Kate Winslet
377:
366:Joseph Maher
322:
318:Antonia Bird
311:
306:Brian Glover
253:
225:Coral Browne
219:Julia Foster
194:
172:
168:
164:
152:Mrs Prentice
136:Plot summary
127:
107:
106:
105:
18:
1464:An Octoroon
1458:Appropriate
1228:Home Movies
1151:(2009 play)
1143:(1987 film)
1100:(1967/1979)
1092:(1959/1971)
1089:Head to Toe
1054:Adaptations
580:Jack Holden
562:Rufus Hound
357:Sheila Gish
294:Kevin Lloyd
186:Productions
146:Dr Prentice
1549:1969 plays
1543:Categories
1436:4000 Miles
1420:The Aliens
1288:Short Eyes
1268:Bad Habits
1204:The Blacks
1081:Other work
844:"PROJECTS"
732:0394501535
705:4 November
683:References
677:Clive Owen
650:– Dr Rance
596:Television
588:– Dr Rance
534:– Dr Rance
496:Sean Foley
480:– Dr Rance
422:– Dr Rance
414:Neil Stuke
372:Gary Olsen
368:– Dr Rance
302:– Dr Rance
239:– Dr Rance
141:Characters
117:playwright
41:Written by
964:Joe Orton
744:The Stage
669:Brian Cox
661:Channel 4
282:Jane Carr
132:in 1968.
120:Joe Orton
45:Joe Orton
1472:Hamilton
849:18 March
828:18 March
548:and the
191:Premiere
158:Dr Rance
1518:English
1444:Detroit
1320:Cloud 9
914:at the
97:Setting
79:Subject
74:English
1529:(2024)
1521:(2023)
1513:(2019)
1505:(2018)
1497:(2017)
1483:(2016)
1475:(2015)
1467:(2014)
1453:(2013)
1439:(2012)
1431:(2011)
1423:(2010)
1409:(2009)
1406:Ruined
1401:(2004)
1393:(2003)
1379:(1998)
1365:(1996)
1345:(1995)
1331:(1989)
1323:(1982)
1315:(1980)
1307:(1979)
1299:(1975)
1291:(1974)
1283:(1973)
1263:(1971)
1255:(1970)
1247:(1968)
1239:(1965)
1231:(1964)
1223:(1963)
1215:(1962)
1207:(1961)
1124:(2001)
1116:(2001)
1108:(1986)
1073:(1970)
1065:(1970)
1046:(1969)
1038:(1968)
1030:(1967)
1022:(1966)
1014:(1966)
1006:(1964)
998:(1964)
990:(1961)
982:(1959)
730:
1328:Spunk
971:Plays
176:penis
113:farce
91:Farce
87:Genre
1494:Oslo
1417:and
1356:Rent
1070:Loot
1011:Loot
927:IMDb
851:2015
830:2015
728:ISBN
707:2008
618:Cast
602:BBC2
556:Cast
502:Cast
448:Cast
390:Cast
339:Cast
270:Cast
207:Cast
1384:Bug
1312:FOB
925:at
663:'s
604:'s
1545::
1491:/
1461:/
1447:/
1387:/
1373:/
1359:/
1353:/
1339:/
1277:/
1271:/
821:.
787:.
693:.
552:.
1184:e
1177:t
1170:v
955:e
948:t
941:v
867:.
853:.
832:.
807:.
773:.
759:.
709:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
