Pam Gems

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Pam Gems (born 1 August 1925) is an English playwright considered to be part of the Feminist Theatre group which also includes Caryl Churchill.

[edit] Career

Born in Bransgrove, Hampshire, England she studied psychology at the University of Manchester but she didn't start to write professionally until well into her 40s. She is perhaps best known for the 1978 musical play Piaf (about Edith Piaf) which originally starred British actress Jane Lapotaire.

Other plays include 1996's Stanley (about the painter Stanley Spencer, starring actor Antony Sher). Many of her plays have feminist themes.

She has been nominated for two Tony Awards, firstly in 1997 for Stanley (Best Play), and then in 1999 for Marlene (Best Book of a Musical), which starred Welsh actress Sian Phillips as Marlene Dietrich.

Pam has also adapted other works by dramatists ranging from Henrik Ibsen, Federico García Lorca, Anton Chekhov and Marguerite Duras.

List of Works (work, year, place first produced)

  • Betty's Wonderful Christmas (1972) Cockpit Theatre, London
  • My Warren And After Birthday (1973) Almost Free Theatre, London
  • Sarah B. Divine (1973) London
  • After Birthday (1973)
  • The Amiable Courtship Of Miz Venus And Wild Bill (1974) Almost Free Theatre, London
  • Go West Young Woman (1974) The Roundhouse, London
  • Up In Sweden (1975) Haymarket, Leicester
  • Dead Fish aka Dusa, Fish, Stas And Vi (1976) Edinburgh Festival
  • Guinevere (1976) Edinburgh Festival
  • The Project (1976) Soho Poly, London
  • Franz Into April (1977) ICA, London
  • Queen Christina (1977) Other Place, Stratford-on-Avon
  • Piaf (1978) Other Place, Stratford-on-Avon
  • Ladybird, Ladybird (1979) The King's Head, Islington, London
  • Sandra (1979) London
  • Aunt Mary (1982) Warehouse Theatre, London
  • The Treat (1982) ICA, London
  • Variety Night (1982) London
  • Loving Women (1984)
  • Pasionaria (1985) Playhouse Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne
  • The Blue Angel (1991) Other Place, Stratford-on-Avon
  • Deborah's Daughter (1994) Manchester
  • Marlene (1996) Oldham
  • Stanley (1996) London

For a comprehensive analysis of Ms. Gems' work see Dr. Dimple Godiwala's Queer Mythologies: The Original Stageplays of Pam Gems (Bristol: Intellect 2006).

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