Eugene Scribe, who developed a formula for writing commercially successful plays in the 19th century, probably never imagined a piece like Slag Heap. Audiences of his time would never have sanctioned theater with such explicit depictions of prostitution, homosexuality, drug use, pedophilia, pornography, and grinding poverty. In today's era of such playwrights as Mark Ravenhill and Sarah Kane, however, these subjects are no longer taboo -- especially not if they're dealt with in a neat moral fable that gives Thatcherite economics a light slap on the wrists. While Slag Heap is not the most challenging play of the season, author anton dudley [sic] has a good ear for dialogue and a gift for da[...]