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The Ruffian On The Stair
''The Ruffian On the Stair'' is a play by British playwright Joe Orton which was first broadcast on BBC Radio in 1964, in a production by John Tydeman. It is an unsympathetic yet comedic one-act portrayal of working class England, as played out by a couple and a mysterious young man who toys with their lives. It was based on ''The Boy Hairdresser'', a novel by Orton and his lover Kenneth Halliwell. The title and play are based on a few lines from poet and dramatist William Ernest Henley: "Madam Life's a piece in bloom, / Death goes dogging everywhere: / She's the tenant of the room, / He's the ruffian on the stair." ''Ruffian'' is not as renowned as other works such as '' Loot'' and '' What the Butler Saw'', but it is still staged on occasion. Sample dialogue Joyce: "Have you got an appointment today?" Mike: "Yes, I’m to be at King’s Cross station at eleven. I’m meeting a man in the toilet." Joyce: "You always go to such interesting places." Plot Mike and Joyce are a po ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joe Orton
John Kingsley Orton (1 January 1933 – 9 August 1967), known by the pen name of Joe Orton, was an English playwright, author, and diarist. His public career, from 1964 until his death in 1967, was short but highly influential. During this brief period he shocked, outraged, and amused audiences with his scandalous black comedies. The adjective ''Ortonesque'' refers to work characterised by a similarly dark yet farcical cynicism. Early life Orton was born on 1 January 1933 at Causeway Lane Maternity Hospital, Leicester, to William Arthur Orton and Elsie Mary Orton (née Bentley). William worked for Leicester County Borough Council as a gardener and Elsie worked in the local footwear industry until tuberculosis cost her a lung. At the time of Joe's birth William and Mary were living with William's family at 261 Avenue Road Extension in Clarendon Park, Leicester. The same year that Joe's younger brother Douglas was born, 1935, the Ortons moved to 9 Fayrhurst Road on the Saffron ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Donegal (town)
Donegal ( ; , "fort of the foreigners") is a town in County Donegal, Ireland. The name was also historically spelt 'Dunnagall'. Although Donegal gave its name to the county, now Lifford is the county town. From the 15th until the early 17th century, Donegal was the 'capital' of Tyrconnell (), a Gaelic kingdom controlled by the O'Donnell dynasty of the Northern Uí Néill. Donegal is in South Donegal and is located at the mouth of the River Eske and Donegal Bay, which is overshadowed by the Blue Stack Mountains ('the Croaghs'). The Drumenny Burn, which flows along the eastern edge of Donegal Town, flows into the River Eske on the north-eastern edge of the town, between the Community Hospital and The Northern Garage. The Ballybofey Road (the R267) crosses the Drumenny Burn near where it flows into the River Eske. The town is bypassed by the N15 and N56 roads. The centre of the town, known as The Diamond, is a hub for music, poetic and cultural gatherings in the area. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Standing (actor)
Michael Lionel Standing (born 19 June 1939) is a British actor, appearing mostly in the 1960s and early 1970s. Standing was born in London. Between an appearance in a 1964 episode of the TV series of ''The Saint'' and his final appearance in the 1973 opening season of ''The Tomorrow People'' in which he played Ginge, the biker heavy who became the Tomorrow People's ally, he appeared in a considerable number of dramas such as ''Z-Cars'', ''Gideon's Way'', ''Rooms'' and the soap opera '' The Newcomers'', and episodes of fantasy television series such as ''Adam Adamant Lives!'', ''The Champions'', and '' Ace of Wands''. Standing is probably best remembered for his role as Arthur in the 1969 film, ''The Italian Job'', who was, as Michael Caine's character Croker famously observed "only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!" after he had totally destroyed a van with gelignite. Standing later moved to the United States, and was briefly married to Sherri Spillane, the ex-wife of w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Avril Elgar
Avril Elgar Williams (1 April 1932 – 17 September 2021) was an English stage, radio and television actress. Early life and career Elgar was born in Halifax, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. She trained at the London Old Vic Theatre School. At the National Theatre, she appeared in productions of Victoria Benedictsson's ''The Enchantment'', Pam Gems' '' Stanley'', and Julian Mitchell's ''Half Life''. She appeared in drama and comedy roles and in many series on British television including '' Dixon of Dock Green'', ''Midsomer Murders'' and '' Tales of the Unexpected''. She played Ethel Pumphrey, the sister of Mildred Roper in ''George and Mildred''. Personal life She was married to the American actor-director James Maxwell, from 1952 until his death in 1995. Together they had two sons. Maxwell directed her in a production of ''The Corn is Green'' at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre. Elgar died in Bristol on 17 September 2021, at the age of 89. Filmography Film * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Erpingham Camp
''The Erpingham Camp'' (1966) is a 52-minute television play by Joe Orton, which was later performed on stage. The play was originally produced by Associated-Rediffusion for inclusion in the ''Seven Deadly Sins'' series, representing pride. Directed by James Ormerod, it was broadcast on 27 June 1966. Originally made in monochrome on videotape, it survives as a 16mm film Kinescope, telerecording. Orton subsequently contributed scripts for ''The Good and Faithful Servant'' and ''Funeral Games (play), Funeral Games'' to the sequel ''Seven Deadly Virtues'' series - as faith and pride - but only ''Servant'' was actually included. ''The Erpingham Camp'' was first performed on stage in June 1967, as part of a double bill with ''The Ruffian on the Stair'' titled ''Crimes of Passion'' at the Royal Court Theatre, in a production by Peter Gill (playwright), Peter Gill. It has been staged on occasion ever since. Plot It is a farce in which a respectable group of English campers are innoce ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bernard Gallagher
Bernard Gallagher (26 September 1929 – 27 November 2016) was an English actor known for his stage work, including with the National Theatre and the Royal Court; and his many appearances in television soap operas and dramas. He was born in Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire. Gallagher studied English at Sheffield University, and following National service in the RAF Educational Service (1952–54), made his stage debut in Lyme Regis in 1956. Working in regional rep for the next decade, in 1965 he joined London’s Royal Court for Bill Gaskill’s first season, with roles in (amongst others) the original stage productions of Edward Bond’s '' Saved'', and Joe Orton's ''The Ruffian on the Stair'' and ''The Erpingham Camp'' (both 1967). Later in 1967, Gallagher began a long association with the National Theatre (1967-1976), when he appeared in Clifford Williams’ all-male '' As You Like It''. Other roles included in Howard Brenton’s '' Weapons of Happiness'' and Tom ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England. In 1956 it was acquired by and remains the home of the English Stage Company, which is known for its contributions to contemporary theatre and won the Europe Prize Theatrical Realities in 1999. History The first theatre The first theatre on Lower George Street, off Sloane Square, was the converted Nonconformist Ranelagh Chapel, opened as a theatre in 1870 under the name The New Chelsea Theatre. Marie Litton became its manager in 1871, hiring Walter Emden to remodel the interior, and it was renamed the Court Theatre. Several of W. S. Gilbert's early plays were staged here, including ''Randall's Thumb'', ''Creatures of Impulse'' (with music by Alberto Randegger), ''Great Expectations'' (adapted from the Dickens novel), and ''On G ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Gill (playwright)
Peter Gill (born 7 September 1939) is a Welsh theatre director, playwright, and actor. He was born in Cardiff to George John and Margaret Mary (née Browne) Gill, and educated at St Illtyd's College, Cardiff. Career An actor from 1957–65, he directed his first production without décor, at the Royal Court Theatre in August 1965, ''A Collier's Friday Night'' by D. H. Lawrence. Having begun his career as an actor, he is now best known for his work as a director and playwright. Royal Court In 1964, he became Assistant Director at the Royal Court and Associate Director in 1970, best known there as the director of three hitherto under-rated plays by D. H. Lawrence, presented as a group in 1968. In 1969, the Royal Court also presented two of his own first plays, ''The Sleepers' Den'' and ''Over Gardens Out'', "which revealed that Gill could evoke with the economy of means and lyrical skill the circumstances of his Cardiff boyhood." Riverside Studios Gill was appointed artistic dir ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kenneth Cranham
Kenneth Cranham (born 12 December 1944) is a Scottish film, television, radio and stage actor. Early life Cranham was born in Dunfermline, Fife, the son of Lochgelly-born Margaret McKay Cranham (née Ferguson) and Ronald Cranham, a London-born civil servant. Career Cranham trained at the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, and at RADA. He starred in the title role in the popular 1980s comedy drama ''Shine on Harvey Moon'', prior to which he had appeared as Charlie Collins in ''A Family at War'' (1971). He also appeared in ''Layer Cake'', ''Gangster No. 1'', ''Rome'', ''Oliver!'' and many other films. Cranham was cast as the deranged Philip Channard and his Cenobitic alter-ego in the Horror film '' Hellbound: Hellraiser II''. Among many stage credits are West End productions of ''Entertaining Mr Sloane'', ''Loot'', '' An Inspector Calls'' (both transferring to Broadway), '' The Ruffian on the Stair'', '' The Birthday Party'' and ''Gaslight'' (at the Old Vic). For his r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dermot Kelly (actor)
''Dermot Kelly'' (1918–1980) was an Irish actor often in comic roles, in films and on TV. He achieved popularity as a recurring tramp character, sidekick to Arthur Haynes's vagrant, in TV's The Arthur Haynes Show in the early 1960s. Previously on stage with Dublin's Abbey Theatre, he was in the original stage and film versions of Brendan Behan's ''The Quare Fellow'', in 1954 and 1962, respectively. Filmography * ''Another Shore'' (1948) as Boxer * ''Home is the Hero'' (1959) as 2nd Pub Customer * '' Sally's Irish Rogue'' (1959) as McKeefry * '' Broth of a Boy'' (1959) as Tim * '' Breakout'' as O'Quinn * ''Devil's Bait'' (1959) as Mr. Love * ''Cover Girl Killer'' (1959) as Pop * ''Crooks Anonymous'' (1962) as Stanley * ''The Quare Fellow'' (1962) as Donnelly * ''The Wrong Arm of the Law'' (1963) as Misery Martin * ''Panic'' (1963) as Murphy * ''The Yellow Rolls-Royce'' (1965) as Marquess of Frinton's Jockey (uncredited) * ''Cup Fever'' (1965) as Bodger the Bootmender * '' The P ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Avis Bunnage
Avis Bunnage (22 April 1923, Ardwick, Manchester – 4 October 1990, Thorpe Bay, Southend-on-Sea) was an English actress of film, stage and television. She attended Manley Park Municipal School and Chorlton Central School in Manchester. She worked as a secretary and a nursery teacher before deciding to become an actress. She gained stage experience in rep and made her first professional appearance at Chorlton Rep Theatre in Manchester in 1947. Television appearances include one episode of 'The Frighteners', ('The Disappearing Man' episode, 1972), with Victor Maddern; ''Rising Damp'', as Rupert Rigsby's (Leonard Rossiter)'s estranged wife, Veronica; one episode of ''Wodehouse Playhouse'', (1978); and as Amy Jenkinson, Ivy Unsworth's friend, in 11 episodes of '' In Loving Memory''. Bunnage was a member of Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop company at the Theatre Royal Stratford East. There she created the role of Helen, the mother in '' A Taste of Honey'', her first West End ro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Incest
Incest ( ) is human sexual activity between family members or close relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adoption, or lineage. It is strictly forbidden and considered immoral in most societies, and can lead to an increased risk of genetic disorders in children. The incest taboo is one of the most widespread of all cultural taboos, both in present and in past societies. Most modern societies have laws regarding incest or social restrictions on closely consanguineous marriages. In societies where it is illegal, consensual adult incest is seen by some as a victimless crime. Some cultures extend the incest taboo to relatives with no consanguinity such as milk-siblings, step-siblings, and adoptive siblings, albeit sometimes with less intensity. Third-degree relatives (such as half-aunt, half-nephew, first cousin) on average have 12.5% common geneti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
