Roger Hall – 1977-78

When Roger Hall applied for the Burns Fellowship in 1977, he noted in his application that very few Burns Fellows had been playwrights. As recorded in his Bums on Seats; The Backstage Story, he later received a telephone call from Professor Margaret Dalziel, who said: 'We'd like to offer you the Burns. Can you accept?' Hall's succinct reply: 'I could.' With numerous plays and short stories already published, Hall set to. In 1978, he applied successfully for another year and continued to write. In total, he completed two plays, a pantomime (Cinderella), and two radio series (Gliding On). He also finished Middle-Age Spread, his most successful play. Reflecting back on the opportunity, he felt the 'Burns Fellow had been wonderful.' It also made him realize how much he wanted to write full-time. He was offered a teaching fellowship for three years by the University and stayed on teaching drama until 1994.

Roger Hall, Middle Age Spread. Wellington: Price Milburn for Victoria University Press, 1978. Bill Robertson 822 HAL; ___, State of the Play. Price Milburn for Victoria University Press, 1979. General PR 9641 H34 S8; ___, Bums on Seats. The Backstage Story. Auckland: Viking; Penguin, 1998. General PR 9641 H34 Z5 A32.