''Prick Up Your Ears'' is a play by

Simon Bent Simon Bent is a British screenwriter and playwright, notable for work including BBC TV drama '' Beau Brummell: This Charming Man'' (2006), the screenplay for the feature film ''Christie Malry's Own Double-Entry'' (2000), and the Joe Orton biograph ...

, based on the life of

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

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 brie ...

. Produced by

Sonia Friedman Sonia Anne Primrose Friedman (born Freedman; born April 1965) is a British West End and Broadway theatre producer. On 27 January 2017, Friedman was named Producer of the Year for the third year running at The Stage Awards, becoming the first ...

it opened at the

Comedy Theatre The Harold Pinter Theatre, known as the Comedy Theatre until 2011,

in London's West End on 30 September 2009 following previews from 17 September, it closed in November 2009. It starred

Chris New Chris New (born 17 August 1981) is an English film and stage actor best known for his starring role in the 2011 film '' Weekend''. New made his screen writing and directorial debut in 2013 with the short film ''Ticking''. He co-wrote the 2014 i ...

as Joe Orton and

Matt Lucas Matthew Richard Lucas (born 5 March 1974) is an English actor, comedian, writer, and television presenter. He is best known for his work with David Walliams on the BBC sketch comedy series '' Little Britain'' (2003–2006, 2020) and '' Come Fly ...

as Orton's lover and murderer,

Kenneth Halliwell Kenneth Leith Halliwell (23 June 1926 – 9 August 1967) was a British actor, writer and collagist. He was the mentor, boyfriend and murderer of playwright Joe Orton. Childhood Halliwell was born in Bebington. He was very close to his moth ...

About the play

According to actor

, the concept for a play came from New's roommate. New contacted actor and comedian

, who was looking to do a play. Simon Bent agreed to script the work, and Sonia Friedman came aboard as producer and

Daniel Kramer Daniel Kramer (born January 15, 1977) is an American-born theatre, opera and dance director. He was appointed Artistic Director of the English National Opera in April 2016. Early life and education Kramer was born on a sheep farm in Wadsworth, Ohio ...

as director. New played Orton in the original production. Matt Lucas originally played the part of Kenneth Halliwell, but pulled out of the production following the death of his former partner. The part of Halliwell was played by Michael Chadwick until 22 October 2009. Con O'Neill took over the role on 23 October. The play closed on 15 November due to declining ticket sales following Lucas's departure."Lucas West End play closes early"
BBC News, 4 November 2009

References

External links

Official Website
{{JoeOrton 2009 plays Biographical plays about writers British plays Plays based on books