We use cookies to help us understand how you use our site, and make your experience better. To find out more read our privacy policy.

Kaleidoscope - Bruce Mason 1921-1982

Television (Full Length) – 1983

This documentary on legendary Kiwi playwright Bruce Mason premiered soon after his death. The result is a portrait of a man who become an artist despite, as much as because of, his fellow Kiwis. There are shots of Mason performing solo classic The End of the Golden Weather on his beloved Takapuna Beach, and insights from a cast of Kiwi theatrical heavyweights. In an extended interview with The Listener's Helen Paske, Mason ranges from his works looking at Māori-Pākehā relations, to over the top reaction to controversial tele-play The Evening Paper.

The Springbok fracas last year simply sorted us out into parties that I've always known were there. The sides really don't communicate, never have communicated. Its just that the Springbok tour put it onto television, where you could see them snarling at each other across barricades.
– Bruce Mason