Sir - As a playgoer of forty years standing, may I say that I heartily agree with Peter Pinnell in his condemnation of 'Entertaining Mr Sloane'. I myself was nauseated by this endless parade of mental and physical perversion. And to be told that such a disgusting piece of filth now passes for humour! Today's young playwrights take it upon themselves to flaunt their contempt for ordinary decent people. I hope that the ordinary decent people of this country will shortly strike back! Yours truly, Edna Welthorpe (Mrs)
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A longtime theatergoer expresses strong disgust at a play, calling it perverse and unfit for humor, while criticizing young playwrights for mocking conventional values.
- In plain terms
- An older viewer hates a play for its scandalous content and thinks modern writers disrespect normal people.
- What can you take from it?
- Art that challenges norms can provoke strong moral backlash from traditional audiences.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you define obscenity in art?
- Should art challenge or respect social norms?
Another view
The quote reflects a subjective moral panic rather than an objective assessment of the play's artistic merit.
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