Summer of the Seventeenth Doll

"Summer of the Seventeenth Doll," by Ray Lawler, is a Australian play that explores themes of longing, change, and the passage of time. It tells the story of two working-class friends, Roo and Barney, who have hosted a tradition of years-long summer visits from a woman named Olive and her friend Nancy, each year for six months. However, as the years pass, the characters confront the reality of aging, shifting desires, and the end of their nostalgic routines. The play highlights how the idealized past often clashes with present realities, capturing the bittersweet nature of change.