Fifty years since his murder at the hands of his lover Kenneth Halliwell, Joe Orton Laid Bare charts Joe's meteoric rise, one which began after his imprisonment for defacing library books in 1962.

The film celebrates the rapid development of his unique comic voice and his significant role in the culture of 60s swinging London. Joe's writing takes centre-stage in this account, with excerpts from his stage and TV plays and outrageous diaries. In addition, the circumstances of Joe's murder are re-examined and new insights provided into that tragic event.

Interviewees include Kenneth Cranham, Sir Michael Codron, Christopher Hampton, Dame Patricia Routledge and Joe Orton's sister, Leonie.