AN HOUR WITH ROGER HALL AT THE AUCKLAND WRITERS & READERS FESTIVAL

Hall strode briskly on to the stage as if he was a man walking to the train station thinking he was running somewhat late. But once seated he relaxed and under the skillful guidance of writer, film maker and actor Fiona Samuel he warmed to his task and soon had the largely female audience of a hundred firstly smiling and then even laughing out loud.

He started by reading a very funny excerpt about one of his favourite characters, Mr.Pooter from George Grossmith's Victoria novel Diary of a Nobody. In the course of the enjoyable hour that followed he roamed all over the place discussing matters as diverse as the craft of playwrighting, the plays of which he is most proud, the plays that failed financially, emigrating to New Zealand as a teenager, English class society, poet Brian Turner, the Panama Canal, Muldoon, Chekov, a typical working day, writing plays with particular actors in mind, (Raymond Hawthorne and Ray Henwood were mentioned), his rapport with middle aged women, favourite plays by others - The Wedding by J.B.Priestley and Arcadia by Tom Stoppard among them.

Roger Hall, King of the Plays, left the stage with loud applause ringing in his ears to sign copies of Middle Aged Spread for $10 with all proceeds to UNICEF. A generous gesture from a man who had just given generously of himself to his audience.