Overview
Synopsis
Saved is set in South London during the 1960s. The play centers around Len, a young working-class man struggling to find hope as the girl he loves, Pam, gives birth to another man's unwanted child. Meanwhile, Pam’s parents tear each other apart in an emotional stalemate of a marriage. Pam’s baby is born into a loveless and hopeless world, and the brutal and horrific end to its short life reflects the cultural poverty and frustration of a generation on the dole and living on council estates. Saved shocked its audiences when first produced in 1965, but it is now considered a theatrical masterpiece and played a key role in the abolition of theatrical censorship in Britain.
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Context
Saved premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 1965. However, it almost didn’t make it to the stage at all. The play was originally refused a licence without severe cuts by the Lord Chamberlain, but the production went ahead in front of a large, private audience. The Lord Chamberlain prosecuted everyone involved in the production, but the decision did not reflect well on the censorship office. Laurence Olivier wrote a letter to The Observer newspaper, publicly stating that: "Saved is
to read the context for Saved and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
Scene 1
The play opens in the living room of a small, London house. Pam shares the house with her mother and father, but this does not stop her from picking up a stranger and bringing him home for sex. As they make themselves comfortable on the sofa, Len introduces himself to Pam. He is perturbed when Harry, Pam’s father, comes into the room, sees them, and immediately leaves again. Pam, however, is not bothered, and merely notes that her father is getting ready to go out to
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Character Portrayals
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher