A Way of Life by Roger Hall
One of the most significant works by New Zealand’s most popular playwright, A Way of Life takes us on a journey from the land ballots after WWI to diversification into tourism in the 1990s in this poignant portrayal or rural life.
“…literate, compassionate and masterfully crafted, both ambitious and serious-minded…I’m being held throughout, I’m sympathizing, I’m laughing, I’m recognizing, and at the curtain, I’m applauding with relish.”
Illusions
“This is the story of a Kiwi dream and how it can be shattered. It’s both a tribute by and a tribute to the playwright”
Waikato Times
Roger is New Zealand's best known dramatist with more than 40 plays to his credit. In recent years he has written the box office hits Spreading Out (2004), Taking Off (2004) Who Wants to be 100? (2007) and Four Flat Whites in Italy (2009) as well as the pantomimes Cinderella, Aladdin and Jack and the Beanstalk (with songs by Paul Jenden and Michael Nicholas Williams).
Born in England in 1939 he emigrated to New Zealand in 1958. He worked first for State Fire Insurance, later working as a teacher and editor with the Education Department before winning the Burns Fellowship at the University of Otago in 1977. Hall's early scripts were for television, but in 1976 he wrote his first stage play Glide Time. Many successful plays followed, both here and internationally, together with musicals, pantomimes, radio dramas, books and plays for children and comedy series' for television.
Available to buy from the PLAYMARKET bookshop.
$26.50
Social bookmarking
Member Profile
PLAYMARKET incNew Zealand Playwrights’ Agent. Advisor. Bookshop.
AGENT
The rights and interests of playwrights represented
The Playmarket Agency, headed by Murray Lynch, issues and manages performance licences, advises on and negotiates commission and collaboration agreements, manages royalty payments, maintains an archive of playwrights’ work and materials related to it and circulates their plays to producers and theatres in NZ and internationally.ADVISOR
Practical support and advice to those in the business of writing plays
Our script advisors focus on supporting playwrights to write. Coordinated by Jean Betts and Stuart Hoar, and making use of a raft of resources, industry knowledge, partnerships and networks we work to support all New Zealand playwrights.
Playmarket’s Auckland office runs a development programme for Maori and Pasifika playwrights, funded by ASB Community Trust and led by Jenni Heka. This programme acts as an advisory service and also manages a number of projects in partnership with local bodies.BOOKSHOP
NZ plays available to everyone, everywhere
With a comprehensive store of New Zealand plays (published and unpublished) and managed by Pania Stevenson, the bookshop exists for all your play reading needs and enquiries.
