The play is a dark farce that satirises the Roman Catholic Church, social attitudes to death, and the integrity of the police force.

[1] Loot was Orton's third major production, following Entertaining Mr Sloane and the television play The Good and Faithful Servant.

Playing with the conventions of popular farce, Orton creates a hectic world and examines English attitudes and perceptions in the mid-twentieth century.

As is typical of Orton's writing the humour of the dialogue arises from the contrast between the shocking and bizarre elements that punctuate what the characters say and the mechanically genteel utterance that predominates in their speech.

The production starred Geraldine McEwan, Kenneth Williams, Duncan Macrae and Ian McShane and was directed by Peter Wood.

Responses to the first production were extremely mixed, with many in the audience outraged, as Orton had intended, but largely negative reviews also affected the box office.

Cut by the author from three to two acts in rehearsals but now including most of the originally censored  material, and starring Julian Chagrin as Truscott, supported by Michael Elwyn and Peter Childs as Hal and Dennis, the play opened in Spring 1966 in Manchester.

It opened on 27 September 1966 with Gerry Duggan as McLeavy, Sheila Ballantine as Fay, Kenneth Cranham as Hal, Simon Ward as Dennis, and Michael Bates as Inspector Truscott.

Albert Finney directed a production at the Royal Court Theatre as part of its Joe Orton Festival.

[9] In June 2001 Braham Murray directed a production at the Royal Exchange, Manchester with Derek Griffiths as Truscott, Gabrielle Drake as Fay and Colin Prockter as McLeavy.

Loot was revived from 11 December 2008 to 31 January 2009 at the Tricycle Theatre, London starring Matt Di Angelo and David Haig as Hal and Truscott.

[14] Michael Billington in The Guardian gave Loot a five star rating, commenting on the way Fentiman referenced the "shock tactics" in Orton's work, and stating: "the result not only sharpens an already subversive text but yields a first-rate production by Michael Fentiman that reminds us of the serious intent behind Orton’s drollery.