You'll Have Had Your Hole

You’ll Have Had Your Hole is Irvine Welsh’s first play. All previous plays by the author were adaptations of his novels.

Reception

The first production of "You’ll Have Had Your Hole" in February 1998 by the West Yorkshire Playhouse was met with largely negative reviews. Robert Butler wrote in "The Independent", “the "Trainspotting" author goes so far out his way to taunt us that one recoils from recoiling. He wants us to have a bad time”. Charles Spencer began in the "Daily Telegraph", “The competition is undoubtedly strong but this is, I believe, the most obnoxious and contemptible play I have ever sat through”. Robert Gore-Langton in "Express on Sunday" concludes his review with, “I don’t know what Welsh’s message to us is, but mine to him is this: see a shrink or change your prescription”. Much of the critical antipathy centered on the character of Laney, who many critics called misogynistic, and Welsh’s use of elements of the romance formula alongside graphic violence.

References

Butler, Robert. “You’ll Have Had Your Hole”. Theatre Record. Vol 18, No 4: 1998. 221-225. (also published in Independent. 1.3.98)

Gore-Langton, Robert. Theatre Record. 18 (1998). 221-225. (also published in Express. 1.3.98)

Spencer, Charles. Theatre Record. Vol 18, No 4: 1998. 221-225. (also published in Daily Telegraph. 24.2.98)

Welsh, Irvine. You’ll Have Had Your Hole. Methuen, London: 1998.