One of Sir Roger Hall’s most beloved characters – retired curmudgeonly dairy farmer Dickie Hart – returns to the stage in End of Summer Time premiering in Auckland in June. Verve catches up with lead actor Andrew Grainger.
“I always wanted to do a Roger Hall play,” says Andrew. “He’s got a really gentle, clever way of holding a mirror up to people – audiences see themselves in his work. There’s a lot more going on under the surface than you might expect.”
The play sees Dickie Hart attempt to navigate the minefield of big-city life after swapping the farm for an apartment in Takapuna – cue body corporates, screen-addicted grandkids, and the unpredictable kindness of strangers.
“I think the older I get, the more I can relate to him,” laughs Andrew. “You get a bit more curmudgeonly. Say what you think. See things a certain way. But Dickie’s not one-dimensional – no one is. The challenge is to find what’s likeable and real in the character. You don’t want the audience thinking, ‘Oh, here’s that old bugger again!’ That soon gets boring.”
The most daunting challenge however is that End of Summer Time is a one-man show. Despite a lengthy and varied acting career – Andrew has appeared in everything from Shortland Street to Auckland Theatre Company’s North by Northwest – this is his first time performing a solo show – something that the actor describes as “exciting and terrifying in equal measure”.
He’s got a really gentle, clever way of holding a mirror up to people – audiences see themselves in his work. There’s a lot more going on under the surface than you might expect.
“It’s a long, lonely process learning lines,” he admits. “There’s no shortcut – just hours and hours of sitting down and getting stuck in – and having the confidence that you won’t forget those lines!”
Still, he finds comfort in the rhythm of rehearsal and looks forward to the eventual arrival of the audience – who, he says, become a kind of scene partner in themselves. “You feed off the energy in the room. Every night’s different. That’s part of the fun – and the challenge. You’ve got to stay focused and trust the work.”
At its heart, End of Summer Time is more than a play about ageing – it’s a play about change, place, and how surprising life can be and often when you least expect it.
“In a way, it’s like a postcard from Auckland,” says Andrew. “There are references in the play that Aucklanders will instantly recognise, which makes it feel more local and alive. A reminder that there’s a lot more to this place – and this stage of life – than we often give it credit for.”
Presented by Auckland Theatre Company, End of Summer Time runs 17 June – 5 July at the ASB Waterfront Theatre. Tickets on sale at atc.co.nz.
