west end letters: Edith Piaf | Short | Life | John Gordon Wardour Street, W1 | Illtyd Harrington

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West End Extra - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 22 August 2008

Piaf – a short life, but not that short

• NO. No. No. Illtyd Harrington, literary editor! Inaccuracies in your Piaf review (French tragedy without tears, August 15).
You write of Piaf – not exactly an unknown performer – that “no one tried or dared to put her in the West End until Pam Gem’s version of Piaf’s life.
Wrong. Libby Morris did on the London stage in 1977 in the excellent Edith Piaf Je Vous Aime, in which the hugely talented Ms Morris devised, produced and sang.
The film version certainly won an Oscar for Marion Cotillard miming to Piaf.
If as you state Piaf died in 1953 how did she continue working for another decade? Filming for Jean Renoir, recording into the 1960s, touring in concerts in the US, and performing some of her greatest triumphs at the Paris Olympia, the oldest music hall in the French capital, where Ms Piaf gave several recitals between 1955 and 1962.
She also married Theo Sarapo in October 1962 (not even seen or mentioned in the film version).
Great artists like Piaf deserve more respect and research. Why is it our critics get paid for writing such fiction? It makes my hair stand on end.
John Gordon
Wardour Street, W1

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, West End Extra, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@westendextra.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Wednesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld.
Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number.
Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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