Difference between revisions of "What the Butler Saw"

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''What the Butler Saw'' is a farce written by English playwright Joe Orton. It premièred at the Queen's Theatre in London on 5 March 1969. It was Orton's final play and the second to be performed after his death, following ''Funeral Games'' the year before. The play consists of two acts, and revolves around a Dr. Prentice, a psychiatrist attempting to seduce his attractive prospective secretary, Geraldine Barclay. His wife, however, is also being seduced and blackmailed by a Nicholas Beckett. She therefore promises Nicholas the post as secretary, which adds further confusion.
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"What the butler saw" is a phrase referring to voyeurism and has been used as the title for numerous works.
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A famous example is a mutoscope[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutoscope] reel by this name[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_the_Butler_Saw_(mutoscope)], which provides an early example of erotic films and dates from the early 1900s. It shows a woman partially undressing in her bedroom, as if some voyeuristic "butler" was watching her through a keyhole.
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There have also been two plays and subsequent films.
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=''[[What the Butler Saw]]'' by Edward Parry and [[Frederick Mouillot]] (1905)=
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==The original text==
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This is a farce about a married man who pretends to be single while his wife is away in America,  written by Edward Abbott Parry (1863–1943)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Abbott_Parry]  and '''[[Frederick Mouillot]]''' (1864-1911)[https://www.palacetheatreclub.org.uk/content/palace-theatre/gertrude-mouillot-biography], and subtitled: ''Farcical Problem 3a''
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First performed as ''[[When the Wife's Away]]'' at the Theatre Royal Dublin on 6 March 1905, as ''[[The Absence of Mrs Barrington]]'' at the Grand Theatre, Southampton on 28 June, 1905, and as ''[[What the Butler Saw]]'' in London at Wyndham's Theatre on 2 August, 1905.  
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==Translations and adaptations==
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Filmed as ''[[What the Butler Saw]]'' in 1924 by George Dewhurst, Edward Mouillot, and Edward Parry.
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== Performance history in South Africa ==
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== Sources ==
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Gertrude Mouillot biography, ''The Palace Theatre Club'' website[https://www.palacetheatreclub.org.uk/content/palace-theatre/gertrude-mouillot-biograph]
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J.P. Wearing. 2013. ''The London Stage 1900-1909: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel''. Scarecrow Press (2nd, revised edition):pp. 251-2[https://books.google.co.za/books?id=o5JWAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA251&lpg=PA251&dq=Edward+Parry+and+Frederick+Mouillot++What+the+Butler+Saw+(1905),&source=bl&ots=1PPGOO1AgM&sig=ACfU3U2Z6Ji3byomUo2cbBsZFpqlPy9gLw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjqhb6zl9rjAhXDJFAKHaXWC9MQ6AEwCnoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=Edward%20Parry%20and%20Frederick%20Mouillot%20%20What%20the%20Butler%20Saw%20(1905)%2C&f=false]
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Go to [[South African Theatre/Bibliography|ESAT Bibliography]]
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=''[[What the Butler Saw]]'' by Joe Orton (1969)=
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==The original text==
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This farce by Joe Orton (1933–1967)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Orton] is about a psychiatrist -  who attempts to seduce his attractive prospective secretary - and his wife, who is also being seduced and blackmailed by a Nicholas Beckett, to whom she then promises the post as secretary. Chaos inevitably ensues. It was Orton's last work and the second to be performed after his death, premièring at the Queen's Theatre in London on 5 March 1969.
  
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
 
== Performance history in South Africa ==
Presented by [[Don Hughes|Don Hughes Productions]] at the President Theatre, Plein street, Johannesburg. Directed by [[Aubrey Berg]] ? (Year unknown).
 
  
Staged at [[Space Theatre|The Space]] (Cape Town) in 1973, directed by [[Brian Astbury]] in his directorial debut, with [[Phillip Boucher]], [[Bill Flynn]], [[Ronald France]], [[Christopher Prophet]], [[Maralin Vanrenen]] and [[Jacqui Singer]]. [[John Nankin]] was the designer and the stage manager was [[Neville Burgess]].  
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19**: Presented by [[Don Hughes|Don Hughes Productions]] at the [[President Theatre]], Plein street, Johannesburg, directed by [[Aubrey Berg]] (Year unknown).
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1973: Staged at [[Space Theatre|The Space]] (Cape Town) in 1973, directed by [[Brian Astbury]] in his directorial debut, with [[Phillip Boucher]], [[Bill Flynn]], [[Ronald France]], [[Christopher Prophet]], [[Maralin Vanrenen]] and [[Jacqui Singer]]. [[John Nankin]] was the designer and the stage manager was [[Neville Burgess]].
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1979: Produced by the [[Company of Four]],  directed by [[Leonard Schach]] and featuring [[Keith Grenville]], [[Grethe Fox]], [[Diana Allen]], [[Sean Taylor]], [[Henry Goodman]], [[Icky Kurgan]]. It was performed in the Concert Hall, [[Baxter Theatre]].
  
In 1979 a [[Company of Four]] production was directed by [[Leonard Schach]] featuring [[Keith Grenville]], [[Grethe Fox]], [[Diana Allen]], [[Sean Taylor]], [[Henry Goodman]], [[Icky Kurgan]]. It was performed in the Concert Hall, [[Baxter Theatre]].
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1991: Performed by [[PACT]] at the [[Alexander Theatre]], Johannesburg in July.
  
 
==Translations and adaptations==
 
==Translations and adaptations==
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_the_Butler_Saw_(play)
 
  
Barrow, Brian & Williams-Short, Yvonne (eds.). 1988. ''Theatre Alive! The Baxter Story 1977-1987''.
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Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_the_Butler_Saw_(play)].
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Theatre programme (Don Hughes Productions) held by [[NELM]]: [Collection: TUCKER, Percy]: 2001. 20. 1. 1. 569.
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[[ESAT Bibliography Bar-Bas|Barrow, Brian & Williams-Short, Yvonne]] 1988.
  
 
[[ESAT Bibliography Ar-Az|Astbury]], 1979.  
 
[[ESAT Bibliography Ar-Az|Astbury]], 1979.  
  
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Invitation to Barney Simon to [[PACT]] production, 1991, held by [[NELM]]: [Collection: SIMON, Barney]: 1995. 11. 8. 430.
  
Go to [[South African Theatre/Bibliography|ESAT Bibliography]]
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Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
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= Return to =
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Return to [[PLAYS I: Original SA plays]]
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Return to [[PLAYS II: Foreign plays]]
  
== Return to ==
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Return to [[PLAYS III: Collections]]
  
Return to [[ESAT Plays 2 W|W]] in Plays II Foreign Plays
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Return to [[PLAYS IV: Pageants, carnivals and public performances]]
  
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Plays]]
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Return to [[South_African_Festivals|South African Festivals and Competitions]]
  
 
Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
 
Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
  
 
Return to [[Main Page]]
 
Return to [[Main Page]]

Latest revision as of 16:39, 22 October 2019

"What the butler saw" is a phrase referring to voyeurism and has been used as the title for numerous works.

A famous example is a mutoscope[1] reel by this name[2], which provides an early example of erotic films and dates from the early 1900s. It shows a woman partially undressing in her bedroom, as if some voyeuristic "butler" was watching her through a keyhole.

There have also been two plays and subsequent films.

What the Butler Saw by Edward Parry and Frederick Mouillot (1905)

The original text

This is a farce about a married man who pretends to be single while his wife is away in America, written by Edward Abbott Parry (1863–1943)[3] and Frederick Mouillot (1864-1911)[4], and subtitled: Farcical Problem 3a

First performed as When the Wife's Away at the Theatre Royal Dublin on 6 March 1905, as The Absence of Mrs Barrington at the Grand Theatre, Southampton on 28 June, 1905, and as What the Butler Saw in London at Wyndham's Theatre on 2 August, 1905.

Translations and adaptations

Filmed as What the Butler Saw in 1924 by George Dewhurst, Edward Mouillot, and Edward Parry.

Performance history in South Africa

Sources

Gertrude Mouillot biography, The Palace Theatre Club website[5]

J.P. Wearing. 2013. The London Stage 1900-1909: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel. Scarecrow Press (2nd, revised edition):pp. 251-2[6]

Go to ESAT Bibliography

What the Butler Saw by Joe Orton (1969)

The original text

This farce by Joe Orton (1933–1967)[7] is about a psychiatrist - who attempts to seduce his attractive prospective secretary - and his wife, who is also being seduced and blackmailed by a Nicholas Beckett, to whom she then promises the post as secretary. Chaos inevitably ensues. It was Orton's last work and the second to be performed after his death, premièring at the Queen's Theatre in London on 5 March 1969.

Performance history in South Africa

19**: Presented by Don Hughes Productions at the President Theatre, Plein street, Johannesburg, directed by Aubrey Berg (Year unknown).

1973: Staged at The Space (Cape Town) in 1973, directed by Brian Astbury in his directorial debut, with Phillip Boucher, Bill Flynn, Ronald France, Christopher Prophet, Maralin Vanrenen and Jacqui Singer. John Nankin was the designer and the stage manager was Neville Burgess.

1979: Produced by the Company of Four, directed by Leonard Schach and featuring Keith Grenville, Grethe Fox, Diana Allen, Sean Taylor, Henry Goodman, Icky Kurgan. It was performed in the Concert Hall, Baxter Theatre.

1991: Performed by PACT at the Alexander Theatre, Johannesburg in July.

Translations and adaptations

Sources

Wikipedia [8].

Theatre programme (Don Hughes Productions) held by NELM: [Collection: TUCKER, Percy]: 2001. 20. 1. 1. 569.

Barrow, Brian & Williams-Short, Yvonne 1988.

Astbury, 1979.

Invitation to Barney Simon to PACT production, 1991, held by NELM: [Collection: SIMON, Barney]: 1995. 11. 8. 430.

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays

Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays

Return to PLAYS III: Collections

Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants, carnivals and public performances

Return to South African Festivals and Competitions

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page