Joe Orton stands out as one of the most inventive figures in twentieth-century British drama. His work, while uniquely his own, evokes the audacious spirit of Restoration plays, particularly William Wycherley’s The Country Wife. In this vein of outrageous social criticism, Orton finds a place alongside modern writers like Evelyn Waugh. Although Waugh’s works, such as A Handful of Dust and especially The Loved One, approach the extremes of social commentary, they do so with a subtlety that contrasts with Orton’s more direct confrontations.

Orton’s sharp critique of societal norms resonates with the legacy of Oscar Wilde. Both playwrights, as homosexual men challenging the rigid morality of their eras, wielded satire to expose and ridicule the hypocrisies of their societies. Wilde’s social commentary, though less biting, paved the way for Orton’s more provocative dramas. Similarly, Noël Coward’s acerbic wit, evident in plays like Private Lives and Blithe Spirit, reflects a parallel tradition of skewering the superficial veneer of British middle-class respectability, albeit with more subtlety than Orton’s bold style.

Orton’s influences are not limited to thematic parallels with his predecessors; he also drew formal inspiration from the world of melodramatic detective literature, which he cleverly parodied. Moreover, the absurdist tradition, championed by playwrights such as Samuel Beckett, Eugène Ionesco, and Jean Genet, plays a significant role in shaping Orton’s theatrical style. However, despite these influences, Orton’s distinctive talent and perversely witty perspective enabled him to tackle life’s gravest issues with a unique voice. Thus, while his era undeniably shaped him, Orton emerged as a singularly original playwright and social critic in the landscape of twentieth-century drama.