London Classic Theatre’s production of What The Butler Saw is showing at Malvern Theatres this week. Now 57 years old, it was written by Joe Orton, whose earlier and better-known works, the scandalous black comedies Entertaining Mr Sloane and Loot, had shocked, outraged and delighted audiences in equal measure when first performed.
What The Butler Saw is notable because it was the last play to be written by Orton in what proved to be a tragically short life. Just one month after completing the work, he was bludgeoned to death by his long-term lover, Kenneth Halliwell, who then committed suicide. Consequently the play didn’t go through the Midlands-born writer’s usual fine-tuning process, a fact which perhaps explains why it has remained little known and, relatively speaking, rarely performed.      
For those not in the know, here’s an outline of the story. When private psychiatrist Dr Prentice attempts to seduce his new secretary, he is almost caught in the act by his drunken, nymphomaniac wife. Mrs Prentice is herself being seduced, by a younger man who is blackmailing her, and who follows her into her husband’s clinic. As chaos ensues, a meddling government inspector and an inquisitive policeman appear on the scene and add to the general confusion. 
What follows is a classic example of truly manic farce, as libidos go through the roof, identities are swapped, and decency heads for the exit.
The scenes shared by the unhappily married couple are undoubtedly among the funniest in the show, while both Mrs Prentice’s unscrupulous lover and her husband’s private secretary impressively add to the entertainment by virtue of some excellent comic timing.
Shining a spotlight on issues such as the abuse of power and the hypocrisy of those in positions of authority, What The Butler Saw is still able to resonate with modern-day audiences. That said, it does also come with on-stage shenanigans which may not be to everybody’s taste - spoiler alert: there’s nudity! - and certain perspectives and attitudes which would nowadays be considered uncomfortable and outdated. But there’s plenty to keep you thoroughly entertained throughout the evening, and the cast’s enthusiasm is highly infectious. 
It may not be Joe Orton’s most celebrated work, but being his last, it’s almost impossible to watch it without wondering what further successes he might have enjoyed, had his light not been so cruelly extinguished at the age of just 34.   

4 stars

What The Butler Saw was reviewed by Sue Hull on Tuesday 9 July at Malvern Theatres, where it shows until this Saturday (13 July)