Nancy Brunning wins Bruce Mason playwriting award one day after death
Sunday, 17 November 2019
Nancy Brunning has won the top playwriting award in New Zealand - just a day after her death.
Brunning, best known for her performance as nurse Jaki Manu on Shortland Street, won the Bruce Mason Award posthumously at the 2019 Playmarket Accolades event at the Hannah Playhouse in Wellington on Sunday afternoon.
The prize recognises the professional success of a playwright, with Hone Kouka, Jo Randerson and Victor Rodger among previous recipients.
Playmarket director Murray Lynch said Brunning wrote with a personal and sharp-witted view of the world, 'working to make visible the kinds of Māori women seldom seen on our stages and screens'.
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Brunning's death was announced by family friend Stacey Morrison on Facebook on Sunday morning.
'With a heavy heart, I post this message on behalf of Nancy's whānau … our māmā, our sister, our aunty, our friend, she has followed the call of her tīpuna.'
The last play Brunning worked on was Witi's Wāhine, an original play she wrote and directed about the author Witi Ihimaera.
In July, while Brunning was working on the play, a crowd-funding campaign was launched to raise money for non-funded medication so she would be strong enough to complete the project.
She was able to see the play to its completion, after it premiered at the inaugural Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival.
Ihimaera said Brunning had continued to work, despite needing the use of a wheelchair by the time the play premiered in October.
'All she could talk about was the future. She had wonderful ideas.
'She was sharp as ever, and strong as ever.'
Ihimaera said Brunning was facing developed cancer.
She had been open about her diagnosis with cancer, which she had been dealing with for almost nine years.
Throughout that time, Brunning continued to act, write and direct.
She was not just well regarded in Aotearoa, Ihimaera said, but also across the world.
'We call her Te Wahine Rongonui, a woman of tremendous influence and talent,' he said.
Ihimaera first met Brunning while she was at high school, when he was invited to watch a school play of The Whale Rider.
Next, he recalled the reaction she had entering the Wellington theatre scene.
'We kept watching, soon she was everywhere. There she was, on television, in film.'
And she didn't stop. Ihimaera said her work fostering indigenous art, New Zealand theatre and working with talented women would leave a lasting impact on the arts.
Working with indigenous artists in Canada, he recalled a moment when Brunning brought the room to tears.
He said there was light in her eyes whenever she talked about not just indigenous work, but art generally.
'We sat listening to Nancy and we saw the fire in her belly.'
Friends, acquaintances and fans took to social media to express their love for the actor, writer and director.
Playwright Albert Belz reposted Morrison's message, saying 'we lost a tōtara today'.
The Breaker-Upperers writer and star Madeleine Sami said Brunning's death was 'heartbreaking'.
'Nan was such an inspiration to me when I first started doing theatre.
'[I] was lucky to work with her on one of my first TV experiences. She was so kind and humble and just so wonderful to watch on stage and screen. Much aroha to her whanau. Rest in peace sweet Nancy.'
Actor Mark Hadlow described her as a wonderful and gifted actor and director and a 'beautiful human being'.
'Our industry has lost a truly gifted lady. Deepest sympathy to all her whānau and friends. Rest in peace Nancy.'
The Spinoff editor Toby Manhire described Brunning's performance as Rongomai in Hone Kouka's Nga Tangata Toa as 'immense'.
Brunning, of Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāi Tūhoe descent, had won awards for her work, including Best Actress at the New Zealand Film Awards for her role in What Becomes ot the Broken Hearted?, the sequel to Once Were Warriors.
While best-known for her screen acting, she had also worked extensively in theatre as a writer, director and actor.
Morrison confirmed Brunning's whānau did not want to disclose how she died, but she had been unwell for some time.
In July friends and family made an appeal to crowdfund a life-prolonging medical treatment for her.
Morrison said Brunning's passion had been to 'bring unheard stories to the light'.
'To remind our people that our voices are a powerful tool and aroha is the most important thing of all.
'And while she was loved by the world, she was loved even more by us.
'She was the person that bound our whānau together.'
A spokesperson for the whānau, Morrison requested people respect the privacy of Brunning's whānau and friends while they made their final farewells.
'We wish to express our deep gratitude and mihi to everyone who has supported Nancy and our whānau.
'Thank you to the kind people at Mary Potter Hospice and the hardworking staff at Wellington Hospital.
'Thank you to all of you who supported her battle in many ways, including the Manaakitia fundraiser.
'Moe mai rā Nan. Hoki atu ki ōu mātua tīpuna. Ka noho mātou ki roto i te mamae, me te aroha mutunga kore ki a koe.'
TE WAHINE RONGONUI
The last play Brunning worked on was Witi's Wāhine, an original play she wrote and directed about the author Witi Ihimaera.
In July, while Brunning was working on the play, a crowd-funding campaign was launched to raise money for non-funded medication so she would be strong enough to complete the project.
She was able to see the play to its completion, after it premiered at the inaugural Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival.
Ihimaera said Brunning had continued to work, despite needing the use of a wheelchair by the time the play premiered in October.
'All she could talk about was the future. She had wonderful ideas.
'She was sharp as ever, and strong as ever.'
Ihimaera said Brunning was facing developed cancer.
She had been open about her diagnosis with cancer, which she had been dealing with for almost nine years.
Throughout that time, Brunning continued to act, write and direct.
She was not just well regarded in Aotearoa, Ihimaera said, but also across the world.
'We call her Te Wahine Rongonui, a woman of tremendous influence and talent,' he said.
Ihimaera first met Brunning while she was at high school, when he was invited to watch a school play of The Whale Rider.
Next, he recalled the reaction she had entering the Wellington theatre scene.
'We kept watching, soon she was everywhere. There she was, on television, in film.'
And she didn't stop. Ihimaera said her work fostering indigenous art, New Zealand theatre and working with talented women would leave a lasting impact on the arts.
Working with indigenous artists in Canada, he recalled a moment when Brunning brought the room to tears.
He said there was light in her eyes whenever she talked about not just indigenous work, but art generally.
'We sat listening to Nancy and we saw the fire in her belly.'
NANCY BRUNNING: 'A LOST TŌTARA'
Brunning had grown up in Taupo before attending Toi Whakaari and graduating in 1991. She lived in Wellington for most of her life.
Brunning was an actor, director, producer, dramaturg, administrator and a fierce representative of Kaupapa Whakaari.
She was a major influence in kaupapa Māori productions, directing productions in te reo for Taki Rua and as co-founder of Hāpai Productions with Tanea Heke.
She has directed work by strong Māori language advocates including Hohepa Waitoa, Whiti Hereaka and Witi Ihimaera.
Nancy became one of the most well-known faces on New Zealand television as Jaki Manu in Shortland Street.
Her theatre credits include roles in Hone Kouka's Nga Tangata Toa, Apirana Taylor's Whaea Kairau: Mother Hundred Eater, the NZ International Festival of the Arts hit Blue Smoke and Kouka's Waiora: Te Ūkaipō – The Homeland, which toured both domestically and internationally.
Over the course of her career, she frequently collaborated with writer Briar Grace Smith, directing productions of Ngā Pou Wāhine, Flat Out Brown and Waitapu and taking leading roles in Purapurawhetū, Haruru Mai and Paniora and the films The Strength of Water and Fish Skin Suit.
She appeared in many feature films across her distinguished career including Mahana, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted, Crooked Earth and When Love Comes.
Nancy also worked as the acting coach for the Oscar nominated short film Two Cars, One Night directed by Taika Waititi.