Saved (play)

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Edward Bond's Saved was first produced at the Royal Court in November 1965. It was first produced privately, since the play was originally censored due to the graphic 'stoning of a baby' scene.

The play itself is set in London during the 1960s. Its subject is the cultural poverty and frustration of a generation of young people on the dole and living on council estates. Laurence Olivier wrote of it in a letter to the Observer newspaper that "'Saved' is not a play for children but it is for grown-ups, and the grown-ups of this country should have the courage to look at it."

'Saved' was originally refused licence without severe cuts by the Lord Chamberlain but when it was performed to a large private audience, the Lord Chamberlain decided to sue those who were involved in the production of the play. Although the defendants pleaded guilty and were fined, the case reflected badly on the censorship office and was pivotal in the abolishment of theatre censorship a few years later.

The original cast was John Castle, Tony Selby, Richard Butler, Ronald Pickup, Dennis Waterman, John Bull, William Stewart, Barbara Ferris, Gwen Nelson and Alison Fraser.