We were extremely sad to learn of the death of David James at the age of 80. David was a long term and loyal member of the WGGB, a committed activist, a former Chair of the WGGB Theatre Committee and co-founder of our Olwen Wymark Theatre Encouragement Awards.
A passionate champion for musical theatre writing, David founded Book, Music and Lyrics, the leading development programme for musical theatre writers in 2010, where he remained as Artistic Director. He also played a pivotal role in developing WGGB’s musical theatre guidelines. Writing in The Stage in 2020, he called for “More respect for musical theatre as a serious art form from Government, critics and audiences and those who could be investing in developing the next generation.”
David’s own career started in New York – as a young graduate, his first job was in a Broadway costume house, with one of his initial assignments on the smash-hit musical Promises, Promises at the Shubert. He went on to design costumes for more than 30 productions, including a stint as assistant costume designer for the original production of Grease. As a writer, his credits included Modern Olympia, and with characteristic, indefatigable energy he began performing later in his career. He was also a judge on the Tony Awards.
Supporting and nurturing new writers was a theme that would run through his long years of activism at the WGGB, co-founding the annual Olwen Wymark Theatre Encouragement Awards in 2005, alongside playwright Mark Ravenhill. The premise of the awards was to publicly thank those who had given the WGGB’s playwright members a positive experience in encouraging their new writing over the previous year, with recipients spanning a broad spectrum: mentors, artistic directors, literary managers, dramaturgs, subsidised theatres, theatre companies, local business people who funded productions, indeed anyone who had gone above and beyond to show exceptional support for playwrights.
David remained a stalwart supporter and steerer of the Olwen Wymark Awards, attending and compering the celebratory lunch in London every year without fail, and ensuring that each winner was properly publicly honoured and personally thanked. Over the years, with numerous, shifting challenges to the theatre sector, for playwrights and the political landscape at large, the awards have provided a constant touchstone and reminder that, even in dark times, the human spirit of mutual support and generosity can move mountains, that art will endure and that writers have such a unique and important role to play within that, particularly when they are properly supported.
The awards had been renamed in honour of playwright Olwen Wymark, following her death in 2013. Olwen, like David, had been an elected Chair of the WGGB Theatre Committee and as David always told assembled guests at the awards presentation, she was “a fierce” supporter of writers. David was equally fierce in his commitment to new writing, to supporting writers and to the union itself, and leaves a similarly important legacy.
WGGB General Secretary Ellie Peers said: “David will be very much missed by all those of us at the WGGB who knew and worked with him over many years. David was a larger-than-life character, fun to have around, and hugely committed to the union cause. Chair of our Theatre Committee for over a decade, he was also deeply involved in formulating and developing our musical theatre guidelines and of course in co-founding our Olwen Wymark Theatre Encouragement Awards.
“Everyone who has attended the annual awards presentation will remember the warmth David brought as host and MC, putting everyone at ease, setting the tone for an intimate, celebratory and often moving experience – often with not a dry eye in the house!
“He was a similar stalwart at our AGM, and – in the days before the world decamped to Zoom – could always be seen at the front of the queue, waving his annual subscription cheque. In the best spirit of trade unionism, he always showed up and paid his dues.
“We send our deepest condolences to David’s family and friends.”
Richard Pinner, former Chair of the WGGB Theatre Committee, said: “It was 25 years ago, when David was then Chair of the Theatre Committee, that he rang me up and invited me to join its ranks – and ever since then he has been an indelible part of my WGGB life. He was an utterly dedicated servant as Chair of the Theatre Committee, he was a staunch and discerning reader on the Writers’ Guild Theatre Awards, when I was Chair of that panel – and, of course, he was the inimitable co-founder and figurehead of the Olwen Wymark Awards. Initially, these awards just carried the epithet ‘encouragement’, but sadly when the lovely Olwen died, it was David who pressed for his dear pal’s name to be adopted as their identity.
“But David was much, much more to me than just a loyal colleague, he was a true friend; delightful and generous company, with a mischievous and irreverent sense of humour. He will be sadly missed.”