''Codgers'' is a 2006 stage play by Don Reid that was later turned into a 2011

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

of the same name by Wayne Harrison. The play won a 2006 Rodney Seaborn Playwright's Award, and toured nationally in 2010. Reid created a companion play for ''Codgers'' entitled ''Biddies'', which released in 2012.

Summary

The film follows five elderly men that meet weekly at their local

gym A gymnasium, also known as a gym, is an indoor location for athletics. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term " gymnasium". They are commonly found in athletic and fitness centres, and as activity and learning spaces in educational i ...

to talk and spend time together. When a newcomer threatens their friendships, the group must overcome the temporary setbacks and find a way to overcome these new issues.

Reception

The play was positively received by the Australian Stage and Sydney Morning Herald, with the ''Morning Herald'' writing that it was a "pleasant, simple and heart-warming comedy about ageing and its possible wisdoms".

Film adaptation

The play was adapted into a

feature film A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...

directed by Wayne Harrison and starring

Ronald Falk Ronald "Ron" William Thompson Falk (born 23 August 1935 – 27 June 2016) was an Australian actor and production designer. He was perhaps best known as the voice of the Coruscant Diner chef, Dexter Jettster in '' Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of ...

Ron Haddrick Ronald Norman Haddrick (9 April 1929 – 11 February 2020) was an Australian actor, cricketer, narrator and presenter. In 2012, he received the Actors Equity Lifetime Achievement Award for his long and distinguished career in media, spanning s ...

, and

Edwin Hodgeman Edwin Hodgeman (born 26 June 1935) is an Australian actor. He was born in Adelaide, South Australia. He is known for playing Dr Dealgood in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome in (1985). Selected filmography * '' The Fourth Wish'' (1976) .... Simms * ...

. The film premiered at the Parramatta Riverside Theatre on 24 June 2011 and was released to

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through

Titan View John L. Simpson (born 2 September 1963) is an Australian film and theatre producer and distributor. Early life Simpson was born on September 2, 1963 in Sydney, Australia. He majored in acting at the University of Western Sydney, and also achieved ...

in 2013.

Biddies

In 2012 Reid released ''Biddies'' as a companion piece to ''Codgers''. The play featured a similar

plot Plot or Plotting may refer to: Art, media and entertainment * Plot (narrative), the story of a piece of fiction Music * ''The Plot'' (album), a 1976 album by jazz trumpeter Enrico Rava * The Plot (band), a band formed in 2003 Other * ''Plot' ...

device as its predecessor, centering on five older women and former schoolmates that are gathering together to sew a project for their former school. The play starred Maggie Blinco,

Annie Byron Annie Byron is an AFI Award-winning Australian film, stage, and television actress best known for '' Wolf Creek 2'', ''Fran'', ''Muriel's Wedding'', and '' Doing Time for Patsy Cline''. Early life Byron was born in Inverell, Australia. S ...

Vivienne Garrett Vivienne Garrett is an Australian-based theatre, film and television actress. She is a theatre director, acting and voice coach and also a qualified yoga instructor and therapist. She was born in Sydney, NSW and now lives in Western Australia. ...

, Julie Hudspeth, Donna Lee, and Linden Wilkinson, and received mixed reviews.

References

External links

* * Australian comedy films 2011 films 2011 comedy films 2006 plays Australian plays Australian films based on plays Australian plays adapted into films 2010s Australian films {{2010s-Australia-film-stub