You can’t teach an old dog new tricks… can you?

Aging actor extraordinaire Joe Quigley is on the brink of filming the twelfth season of hit cosy-crime drama Parks when a single, careless remark shatters his career, marriage and carefully curated public image.

Then a stray greyhound follows him home.

Can Quigley find room in his heart for an ill-disciplined animal with insecurity issues almost as big as his own?  As he navigates a growing sense of irrelevance, he’s forced to confront the question he’s spent a lifetime avoiding: who is he without the applause? 

Can the colourful community of dog walkers he meets help him rebuild what he’s broken -  or will the glittering promise of one last shot at glory send him hurtling towards disaster?

Biting satire and theatre wizardry fuse as award-winning actor Stephen Papps inhabits a rich menagerie of characters - human and canine alike.

Starring Stephen Papps (Blowing It, Fresh Eggs, Pike River) 

Directed by Damon Andrews (Wheeler’s Luck, Timberrr…!)

About the Creators
Stephen Papps brings over 35 years of experience across stage, screen, and solo performances.  A Best Actor winner at the NZ Film Awards (End of the Golden Weather), Papps recently  appeared in Pike River. For his solo show Blowing It (1999-2015) he received critical acclaim around the world and a nomination for best actor at the Chapman Tripp theatre awards. Social  Animal marks his fourth self-written solo work.

Damon Andrews (Co-writer/Director) has over 30 years of experience in television and theatre.  Andrews spent 14 years running the story table for Shortland Street and has co-written international hits such as Wheeler’s Luck.