The Pohutukawa Tree by Bruce Mason Principal Funder

SEASON OF THE POHUTUKAWA TREE BY BRUCE MASON principAL funder Welcome regional funders THE POHUTUKAWA TREE of local playwrights. He led and Rena Owen and the core funders Premier partners is New Zealand’s best by example, writing and sterling cast – and special known play, but tonight’s performing a number of solo thanks to Esther Davis of Ngati production is the first-ever shows of which THE END OF Whatua for her advice and fully professional staging of THE GOLDEN WEATHER is support. the play in Auckland. the best known. I would also like to thank Written in 1955, it was given He also tried, in his humble New Zealand Post for their a semi-staged workshop way, to express in dramatic support of this season. production by the New terms, the complexities and We are delighted to have Zealand Players in 1957. the misunderstandings of them partnering with us in major supporters BBC Television produced Maori-Pakeha relations at presenting this iconic work it in 1959 for their Sunday the time, with plays like THE and also in the creation of Night Theatre series and POHUTUKAWA TREE and an educational resource the NZBS broadcast a radio AWATEA (written for the for the play which will be adaptation of it in 1960. Since great New Zealand bass Inia distributed to high schools then it has been kept alive Te Wiata). These plays were all over Auckland. We greatly Proud to be NZ’s Most Official caterers of Awarded Winery and Auckland Theatre by amateur productions and written before the 1970s’ Land admire and appreciate their Sponsor of Auckland Company by being studied in schools. Marches, Bastion Point and commitment to New Zealand Theatre Company The first fully professional live the huge renaissance of Maori writing. production in New Zealand language. MEDIA partners was directed by Richard THE POHUTUKAWA TREE Campion (father of film-maker Enjoy, must be seen in that context. Jane Campion) 27 years In this production, we have after his original workshop deliberately stripped back the production and less than two fussy naturalism to let the play years after Bruce Mason’s breathe and to allow actors Colin McColl death. and audience alike to examine Bruce was a pioneer of New the power and significance of supporting partners Zealand professional theatre the piece. and a pioneer New Zealand My huge and heartfelt thanks AUCKLAND ART GALLERY TOI O TAMAKI / BDO SPICERS / CANON playwright. He championed to the team which has joined INFLIGHT PRODUCTIONS / MARKETING IMPACT / PERRY FOUNDATION New Zealand stories and was me on this journey – my generous and supportive BRUCE MASON CENTRE / MAIDMENT THEATRE / SKYCITY THEATRE creative and production team, SEASON OF New Zealand Post is a THE passionate supporter of POHUTUKAWA the arts and culture in TREE New Zealand. BY BRUCE MASON THE POHUTUKAWA TREE, National Schools Poetry a moving and dramatic Awards, the Mansfield immediate post-war Prize and, from 2010, tale of cultural land the New Zealand Book ties, cultural integration Awards. CAST and inter-generational I congratulate Auckland tension, is as poignant Aroha Mataira — Rena Owen Queenie Mataira — Maria Walker Johnny Mataira — Tiare Tawera Theatre Company, Mrs Atkinson — Catherine Wilkin Mr Atkinson — Peter McCauley Sylvia Atkinson — Fern Sutherland today as it was when director Colin McColl written 54 years ago. Roy McDowell — Richard Knowles Rev. Athol Sedgwick — Edwin Wright and all those who have George Rawlings / Sergeant Robinson — Craig Geenty It is always a pleasure to collaborated over many Claude Johnson — Michael Keir-Morrissey Mrs Johnson — Hera Dunleavy see the works of talented months to bring Bruce Dr Lomas — Stuart Devenie Tamatea Cousins — Maria Walker, Hera Dunleavy New Zealanders brought Mason’s remarkable story to life, especially one as to the stage. I know you creative as Bruce Mason will enjoy it. CREATIVE who was actively involved in all aspects of New Direction — Colin McColl Assistant Direction — Hera Dunleavy Zealand literature. Set and Lighting Design — Tony Rabbit Costume Design — Nic Smillie New Zealand Post also Rt Hon James B Bolger, Sound Design — John Gibson takes a broad view in its ONZ Nga¯ mihi nui ki a koe e te whaea Esther Davis i a¯whina mai, i tautoko mai i koupapa nei, otira i a ma¯tou katoa te wha¯ nau Pohutukawa. Nga¯ mihi matihere. support of literacy, which Chairman we see as fundamental to New Zealand Post a successful society. That is why New Zealand Post PRODUCTION supports programmes as diverse as the New Production Manager — Mark Gosling Technical Manager — Bonnie Burrill Zealand Post Book Senior Stage Manager — Fern Christie Stage Manager — Mitchell Turei Operator — Robert Hunte Awards for Children and Properties Master — Bec Ehlers Wardrobe Supervisor — Sara Kolijn Young Adults, the Books Set Construction — 2 Construct in Homes programme, the By arrangement with THE POHUTUKAWA TREE is the sixth Auckland Theatre Company production for 2009 and opened on 3 September 2009. THE POHUTUKAWA TREE is approximately 150 minutes long with an interval. Please remember to switch off all mobile phones, pagers and watch alarms. 2. 1. which is exactly what I was or it may have been NOT nostalgic memories of grow- cian, famous for her “Amy During the 1980s, I began Bruce Mason doing when Bruce walked out CHRISTMAS, BUT GUY ing up near Takapuna Beach Winehouse-type” hairdos, her living in a house in Drummond By Vivienne Plumb of one of the dressing rooms, FAWKES, I can’t remember later resulted in Bruce writing huge earrings and her habit of St, Newtown. The Wellington came straight up to me, and now. But what stopped me THE END OF THE GOLDEN leaving shows early in order to actor, Michael Haigh, ex- asked me to sew a button on in my tracks was Bruce’s WEATHER. This became a go and deliver babies. plained to me that I was now his costume. well-enunciated voice and classic piece of New Zealand living next door to what had Later on, I performed for very particular way of speak- literature, was made into a film once been Unity Theatre. I think he assumed I was the first time at Downstage ing (all the other actors and is often used for study in The theatre was started by an employee of the theatre, Theatre in the play of United would try to mimic him), his New Zealand schools. Wellingtonians interested maybe the junior “costume Kingdom writer, Steve Gooch, gregarious manner, and his in theatre and in the use girl”. In those days, around the Bruce was a playwright, a FEMALE TRANSPORT, play- entire demeanour which spelt of theatre as political com- mid to late 1970s, Downstage critic, an actor and a fiction ing the part of a young female At the time of my first meet- out AMAZING THEATRICAL ment. It was a society with a employed an entire company writer. He was a co-founder of convict being transported ing with Bruce Mason, I was BEING in larger-than-life tradition of left-wing political of actors, directors, stage Downstage Theatre in 1964, to Sydney, Australia. Bruce not a playwright. I used to jot capital letters. I was so totally leanings that began in 1942. managers and wardrobe he wrote a weekly column wrote up the play giving me a down small ideas and poems impressed that I immediately In its early years, Unity moved people. The theatre produced for the New Zealand Listener small review that went some- and thoughts onto paper sewed the button onto his from Newtown to the Aro St year-round main-stage pro- from 1964 to 1969, and re- thing like: Vivienne Plumb as but I had not begun writing costume, quickly and without Wesleyan Church and eventu- ductions and late-night shows, viewed theatre for many years Winnie bustles around the professionally. I didn’t know I question. Who is that man? ally to its final site located in toured theatre into the schools for both The Dominion and stage like a recalcitrant hen. was a writer. I had begun an I asked other people in the the Royal Antediluvian Order and was a training ground for The Evening Post newspa- The phrase “recalcitrant hen” acting career and my partner company and they explained. of Buffaloes building at 1 Kent all of the above-mentioned pers in Wellington. He wrote has stuck in my head after all of those years was working Terrace, where it became occupations. Bruce was born 28 September 34 plays in total, edited the these years – it was such a at Downstage Theatre in BATS Theatre in 1979. 1921 in Wellington, New landmark Maori news maga- good description of what I was Wellington which meant I Bruce could have been Zealand, but his family moved zine Te Ao Hou between 1960 doing on stage, and so typical Unity was a breeding ground often hung around the down- preparing for a matinee to Takapuna on the North and 1961, and married Diana of Bruce’s witty, superbly writ- for local New Zealand writ- stairs coffee lounge and in the performance of his solo Shore of Auckland when Shaw who became a well- ten theatre reviews which he ers. Besides productions by backstage part of the theatre, show WATERS OF SILENCE, he was five years old. The known Wellington obstetri- delivered for many years. Sean O’Casey, Gorki, Pinter, Ionesco, Lorca, Arthur Miller, Ibsen and Sartre, the theatre at 36 Drummond St also premiered many New Zealand works including James K Baxter’s WIDE OPEN CAGE and at least two of Bruce’s early pieces. The structure was a wooden two-storeyed house with bay windows built around 1910 in a row of lookalike townhouses that ran alongside the Drummond St steps.

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