‘‘My character has Alzheimer's and it's been an enormous challenge, to be honest. It's a challenge just to remember what I'm meant to say,'' Stevenson laughs.
‘‘But, it's been a lot of fun to do and it's going to be a great show. [Playwright] Roger Hall certainly knows how to entertain an audience.''
Who Wants to be 100? follows four grumpy old men living out their days in the Regina Rest Home. ‘‘It's quite provocative in places and there's also quite a bit of pathos in it.
‘‘The characters are all very recognisable and a lot of the audience will identify with them,'' Stevenson says. ‘‘It's about the exploits of four old guys in a rest home.
There's a famous ex-potter who has Alzheimer's, an ex-All Black with arthritis, a silver-tongued lawyer and an English professor who has had a stroke.''
The quartet spend their time in cranky combat as they rage against illness, old age, wives, offspring and the quality of the catering. Stevenson has previously appeared at the Fortune in Educating Rita, Shop Till You Drop, Take a Chance on Me, The Wind in the Willows and The Pied Piper.
‘‘Acting on stage isn't too different to presenting the [television] news, really; you're trying to engage people and get a message out there. It's about engaging,'' he says.
‘‘That's why I really enjoy live theatre. You get an immediate response. Plays lift an audience and the audience lifts a play.''
Stevenson (65) remains active in the media, presenting the Channel 9 television programme Dunedin Diary and regularly contributing to the Radio New Zealand Sunday programme.
The Fortune Theatre will also take the play on a regional tour of Otago and Southland next month. ‘‘I think the tour will be fantastic and I'm really looking forward to it,'' Stevenson says.
‘‘It's essential that we take theatre into the regions and I'm sure people in the regions are going to love this show.''
Who Wants To Be 100? is directed by Janice Finn, and features Dougal Stevenson, Patrick Wilson, Simon O'Connor, David McKenzie, Darian Takle and Lyndee-Jane Rutherford. The play will run until Saturday, March 15.
The regional tour dates include Lawrence (March 18), Gore (March 19), Tapanui (March 20), Alexandra (March 25 and 26), Wanaka (March 27), Arrowtown (March 28), Ranfurly (March 29) and Oamaru (March 30).
