Entertaining Mr Sloane

Play

Writers: Joe Orton

Overview

Show Information

Book
Category
Play
Number of Acts
3
First Produced
1964
Genres
Dark Comedy
Settings
Period, Unit/Single Set
Time & Place
A house on the edge of a rubbish dump, England, 1960s
Cast Size
small
Ideal for
College/University, Regional Theatre, Professional Theatre, Small Cast
Casting Notes
Mostly male cast
Includes young adult, adult, mature adult, elderly characters

Synopsis

Joe Orton’s sharp, mischievous, and hilarious black comedy tells the story of Mr. Sloane, a 20 year old man with dangerous charm. He comes into the house of Kath, her brother Ed, and her father Kemp, looking to rent a room. It doesn’t take long before both Kath and Ed become infatuated with Sloane. Kath is looking for both a lover and a substitute child, while Ed soon engages Sloane as his chauffeur, dressed in leathers and a tight shirt. However, Kemp recognizes the young man from a former unsolved crime and he soon pays the price for this knowledge. Although Sloane believes himself to hold all the cards, he soon becomes the pawn in a shameless game of desire and sexual manipulation. Entertaining Mr Sloane offers a wickedly mischievous peep at the hypocrisy behind closed doors in the swinging sixties and explores the British middle-class fascination with sex.

Lead Characters


Entertaining Mr Sloane guide sections