Roger Hall's End of Summer Time

When retired cow cocky Dickie Hart and his wife Glenda move to Auckland, his life will never be the same.

New Zealand’s most successful playwright, Sir Roger Hall, is back with an affectionate skewering of an old grump who realises he still has a lot to learn about the world. And not all of it’s bad – despite his vegan daughter-in-law and grandchildren who are glued to their screens.

One of Hall’s most iconic characters, Dickie Hart made his first appearance almost 30 years ago in C’mon Black, set in the aftermath of South Africa’s triumph at the Rugby World Cup. Three years later, in You Gotta Be Joking! he and wife Glenda had quit the farm for suburban Wellington.

Now, the couple has moved to Auckland to be closer to the grandkids. For Dickie, who’s now in his 70s, they might as well be living on Mars. Audience favourite Andrew Grainger (Peter Pan, North by Northwest) brings his big-hearted comedic talent to this entertaining solo show that – like all of Hall’s plays – pokes fun at contemporary social manners.