End of Summertime | Queenstown

Thirty years ago, playwright Roger Hall introduced New Zealand to cow cocky and rugby fanatic Dickie Hart in C’mon Black, a smash hit that played to sell-out crowds around the country.

Now, in End of Summertime, Roger brings back this much-loved curmudgeon for his latest adventure. Long retired but still rugby-mad, Dickie has been dragged reluctantly to Auckland by his wife, Glenda, to be nearer the grandchildren.

From an apartment with a side view of the sea, where he’s pretty sure it’s the beginning of the end, Dickie tries valiantly, and hilariously to navigate life in that big, bad city we love to hate.

“Auckland! It’s crowded, expensive. Traffic’s terrible. All everyone thinks about is money. And they don’t even have a decent footie team.”

But by crikey Dickie gives it heaps. Even this crusty old bloke can realise he still has a lot to learn about the world. And Auckland. And himself.

Roger Hall’s much-loved comedy, brought to life by acclaimed actor Peter Hayden, makes End of Summertime a highly entertaining solo show not to be missed.