Wednesday, February 18, 2009

'What the Butler Saw'

When Joe Orton's "What the Butler Saw" was first performed in the '60s, audiences were so shocked by the play's explicit theme that actors were booed off stage.

The university community can view the controversial play at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and Feb. 25 to 28 at the Elizabeth Evans Baker Theater in Kantner Hall. The risque comedy centers on a psychiatrist who invents a series of increasingly outrageous lies to cover up his attempts to seduce a prospective young secretary, Geraldine.

"This play was written in the '60s during a sexual revolution," said Casiha Felt, a second-year Master of Fine Arts student who plays Geraldine. "Many of the topics discussed in the play were very taboo at the time so it's interesting to see how the play will be interpreted by a modern audience."

"What the Butler Saw" was Orton's last play, completed just a month before his death at the hands of his longtime partner.

"The play was a ton of fun to work on," Felt said. "It is the first comedy the theater program has done in awhile, so it should be very exciting for audiences."

Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for senior and free for all OHIO students with a valid ID. To reserve tickets, call the fine arts box office at 593-4800.

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