Pearl Gidley

By Gary Kirkham

The elderly Gidley sisters lead unassuming and unexciting lives in Blyth, Ontario in 1971. Tart-tongued Pearl and the more romantically-minded Edith live frugally, renting a room to the occasional boarder to help make ends meet. But the sisters' orderly life is turned upside-down when their neighbour George asks them to take in Charles, a young American Vietnam veteran.

The characters in this beautifully-written, bittersweet comedy gently draw out one another's stories: and along the way must come to terms with loyalty and betrayal, long-ago heartbreak, the consequences of sacrifice, and the power of music.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scirocco Drama
• Release date: Oct 5, 2022
• ISBN: 9781990737534

Gary Kirkham

Gary Kirkham is a playwright, actor and filmmaker. His plays include Falling: A Wake, Pearl Gidley, Queen Milli of Galt, Rage Against Violence (with Dwight Strorring) and Pocket Rocket (with Lea Daniel) . Gary is an artistic associate with the MT Space in Waterloo, Ontario, and has worked in collaboration with the company on several shows including The Last 15 Seconds, Seasons of Immigration, Body 13, and AMAL. Kirkham’s plays have been produced by more than fifty theatres across Canada and internationally, and have been translated into French, Italian and Arabic.

Book preview

Cover: Pearl Gidley, written by Gary Kirkham, published under Scirocco Drama, by J. Gordon Shillingford, shows the hands of an elderly person playing keys. A stylized tattoo of a heart is seen on the back of the hand of the person.

PEARL GIDLEY

GARY KIRKHAM

Pearl Gidley

first published 2012 by

Scirocco Drama

An imprint of J. Gordon Shillingford Publishing Inc.

© 2012 Gary Kirkham

Scirocco Drama Editor: Glenda MacFarlane

Cover design by Terry Gallagher/Doowah Design Inc.

Author photo by Tory Vimmerman

Printed and bound in Canada on 100% post-consumer recycled paper.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Manitoba Arts Council and The Canada Council for the Arts for our publishing program.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, for any reason, by any means, without the permission of the publisher. This play is fully protected under the copyright laws of Canada and all other countries of the Copyright Union and is subject to royalty. Changes to the text are expressly forbidden without written consent of the author. Rights to produce, film, record in whole or in part, in any medium or in any language, by any group amateur or professional, are retained by the author.

Production inquiries should be addressed to:

Charles Northcote, Core Literary Inc.

140 Wolfrey Avenue

Toronto, ON M4K 1L3

416-466-4929

[e-mail]

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Kirkham, Gary., 1962-

Pearl Gidley/Gary Kirkham.

A play.

ISBN 978-1-897289-79-2

I. Title.

PS8621.I738P42 2012 C812’.6 C2012-904729-5

J. Gordon Shillingford Publishing

P.O. Box 86, RPO Corydon Avenue, Winnipeg, MB Canada R3M 3S3

Contents

Acknowledgements

Characters

The Set

Location and Time

Production History

Gary Kirkham

Act I

Act II

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Contents

Acknowledgements

Characters

The Set

Location and Time

Production History

Gary Kirkham

Act I

Act II

Guide

Cover

Title Page

Copyright Page

Contents

Acknowledgements

Characters

The Set

Location and Time

Production History

Gary Kirkham

Start of Content

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Acknowledgments

Special thanks to the keepers of the Blyth archives, Brock and Janice Vodden, who introduced me to the real story of Pearl Gidley over instant coffee.

Thank you to Tony McQuail who invited me into his home and told me a heart-wrenching story that inspired the soul of the play.

Special thanks to the Blyth Festival and Eric Coates for making it happen. To my dream cast Katerine, Pat, Gil and Sam. And to the wonderful Miles Potter who pushed me ever so hard to write a better script.

There are numerous artists that helped bring the play alive. Thanks to Kathleen Sheehy, Alan K. Sapp, Jen Cornish, Brad Cook, Gord Cameron, Marion Day, Peggy Coffey, Terry Barna, and of course Chea Kirkham.

The play was developed thanks to a grant by the Ontario Arts Council’s Playwright Residency program.

Characters

Pearl Gidley, late 60s

Edith Gidley, late 60s

George, 40-50s

Andrew, 22

The Set

Pearl’s and Edith’s home. It is a large house that has seen better days. There is a living room and dining room area with the entrance to the kitchen on one side, a hallway leading to the front door on the other. There is a set of stairs going up. The exterior is a small side porch with a door to the house. There is a well-made piano that overwhelms the room. Most of the furniture is from the ‘20s. There is a small sitting area and dining room table that seats 6 (or 4).

Location and Time

Small Ontario town. Autumn 1969.

Production History

Pearl Gidley was first produced by the Blyth Fesitval on July 30, 2010, with the following cast and crew:

PEARL............................................................................Catherine Fitch

EDITH........................................................................Patricia Hamilton

ANDREW ..............................................................................Gil Garratt

GEORGE..............................................................................Sam Malkin

Directed by Miles Potter

Set and Costume Design by Gillian Gallow

Lighting Design by Steve Lucas

Sound Design by Todd Charlton

Stage Manager: Shauna Japp

Assistant Stage Manager: Crystal MacDonell

Artistic Director: Eric Coates

Gary Kirkham

A black and white photograph of the author Gary Kirkham. He is posing with his left palm placed under his cheek, and smiling.