Tuesday, March 05, 2019
What the Butler Saw: Joe Orton's savage satire on rape is as relevant now as it was in 1969
theconversation.com: Condemned when it opened in 1969 as “vulgar”, “sordid” and “sick” for its provocative blend of the comic and the macabre, Joe Orton’s irreverent black comedy What the Butler Saw now seems less controversial in all ways except one: its humorous treatment of rape and sexual assault. Following feminist analyses of sexual violence since the 1970s, Orton’s final play has been increasingly condemned as outdated and offensive, even misogynistic.
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2 comments:
This show is without a doubt risky. Often times there are elements of shows that are written into the script or into the design to make a bold statement about an element of society with which we are unhappy. However, in the hands of the wrong audience the message is twisted, and the intention is lost. I think with poor staging and understanding, What the Butler Saw will become a surface level, misogynistic play. I don't deny that trying to link humor and rape in any way is usually quite untasteful, but I think examining the contents of the play itself is valuable. It showcases the rhetoric and choice of words used by rapists to procure, and justify sex; as well as highlighting the fact that anyone can take advantage of you, a stranger, a friend, or even someone you are married to. I'm not quite sure the other opinions on this play, but from reading this article alone, I feel like the relevancy of its content and message should still be discussed.
I think it’s unfortunate that this play is being condemned as misogynistic and offensive because I believe that satire is one of the most powerful artistic tools for protest when done correctly. From what I read about it, “What the Butler Saw” sounds like a well composed and pointed piece of satire, as well as a strong commentary on rape and our perception of it, not a piece in support of the perpetuation of rape culture as some people are claiming. I feel like often satire falls flat or is misunderstood because it is not performed in a clear way, and of course even when it is, there will be audience members that don’t understand. And depending on the topic, that could potentially be dangerous, however, it is the responsibility of the artists involved to make their “point” clear, if they think it is important to do so, which in the case of this production, I think it is.
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