That's a really important part of the character's journey but I don't want to give too much away. I didn't write a political play about how the police could have handled the incident better. The issue naturally lends itself to discussion and I hope people do, but the play is really about a mother's grief and how she moves forward in her life. It's inspired by Ivoni's story, but it's fictional.
4. How is Ivoni now?
She's in a really good place. She's become a minister for the Assembly of God church. She's a mother of 12. Her youngest son was born five days after Halatau's funeral and is named after him. He's 6 now.
5. What does she think of your play?
When I realised I was able to put the play on I contacted her straight away. It was really important to honour that trust and connection between us. I was really nervous when I sent her a copy of the script three weeks ago but she gave us her blessing and that was quite emotional for me. She appreciates that this play is keeping her son's memory alive and starting that discussion again. Also she acknowledges that it's a fair representation of the journey a mother goes through. We were honoured to have Ivoni and her children at opening night on Tuesday. We had a very special moment beforehand when Ivoni blessed the stage and wished the cast and crew well for the season.
6. Is the play just about grief?
No, it was really important to bring lightness and humour into the play too. It's partly set in a graveyard where a friendship develops between a Pakeha teenager grieving for his mother and a Niuean mother grieving for her child.. There's humour in the dynamics of that relationship and it shows how grief, even though we all do it differently, is the one thing that binds us together. It's not prejudiced to culture or generations.
7. Did you always want to be a writer?
I did. I grew up Hawera, one of six children. Growing up in a small town, I always felt quite different and writing was my escape. Mum was the one that encouraged my talent. I got my creative side from her. She was a devout Catholic who wrote the liturgies for Mass. When I was at high school I won a writing award, named after Hawera's most famous writer Ronald Hugh Morrieson, three times. So that encouraged me to pursue writing as a career. I did get teased for being different at school but I learnt to stick up for myself and my brothers were butch so I had protection. We were sent to Hato Paora boarding school in Feilding.
8. You've suffered an unusual amount of loss in your family, haven't you?
Yes. Mum died when I was 15 and three of my brothers died young as well, mainly from cancer. Mum's death was the hardest. She was the nurturer who held the family together. When she died my world collapsed and relationships started to break down. The person who usually bridged those gaps was gone. Dad wasn't able to help. He was very much a man of his time. He was the breadwinner, always working or sleeping after a shift. It was hard, physical work on the gas fields. I think he found it hard to relate to me, being so different from all my brothers.
9. You went overseas on an AFS exchange the year after your mum died. What was that like?
Living with a colourful Jewish family from New York City was just amazing when you'd never been anywhere in your life. I was 16 and still grieving. They were a wonderful, wonderful family. Years later the dad told me the reason they hosted me was because he'd lost his mum at the same age and he felt he could help me. Just imagine that being your motivation to house someone - to help them heal! Looking back now I appreciate how profound that experience was. They're very proud of me and have paid for me to go back there since to visit.
10. What was it like coming home to Hawera after that?
My 7th form year was very hard. I'd returned from this amazing experience to find most of my family still stuck in their grief and that caused conflict. What I understood pretty quickly was that mum would not have wanted her passing to be a hindrance to us carrying on with our lives. So as corny as it sounds, the best way I could honour her was by working to be the best person I could be and living a good and life by her principles.
11. What's your relationship with your father like now?
An important part of dealing with my grief was forgiving my dad. I was holding on to so much anger for so long but when I let it go that really helped me to heal. Dad's a changed man now and we have this great relationship. I spend every Christmas with him in Taranaki. He's grown into this lovable old guy.
12. How has being a journalist helped you to be a playwright?
You develop an ear for dialogue and different patterns of speech through interviewing so many people from so many different walks of life. You also learn to pick up the subtext of what's not being said. In women's magazines, you're the voice-piece for everybody you speak to. You're representing their story to the world and I don't take that lightly. When I approach people for an interview I never pressure them. It's just, "here's the opportunity and I'm okay if it doesn't go forward". I've been fortunate in my career that I've had all these platforms to share people's stories.
• Officer 27 is on at the Basement Theatre until Saturday. For tickets go to basementtheatre.co.nz
