Loot

A black farce masterpiece, Loot follows the fortunes of twoyoung thieves, Hal and Dennis. Dennis is a hearse driver for anundertaker. They have robbed the bank next door to the funeral parlourand have returned to Hal's home to hide-out with the loot. Hal's motherhas just died and the pair put the money in her coffin, hiding the bodyelsewhere in the house. With the arrival of Inspector Truscott, thethickened plot turns topsy-turvy. Playing with all the conventions ofpopular farce, Orton creates a world gone mad and examines in detailEnglish attitudes at mid-century. The play has been called a Freudiannightmare, which sports with superstitions about death - and life. Itis regularly produced in professional and amateur productions. First produced in London in 1966, Loot was hailed as 'themost genuinely quick-witted, pungent and sprightly entertainment by anew, young British playwright for a decade' (Sunday Telegraph).The Student Edition offers a plot summary, full commentary, characternotes and questions for study, besides a chronology and bibliography.