Jan 04 – Memories Bound Up With Life – A New Book By Carmen Gomez
The life of an actress and her passion for the theatre is explored in a new book published by Carmen Gomez titled Memories Bound Up With Life.
Speaking to Your Gibraltar TV from the comfort of her living room, the theatre bug is still present with framed photographs, reviews and production posters lining the walls of Ms Gomez's home.
She explains that this is a book which not only talks of her acting career in London’s West End during the 1970s, but is also set against a backdrop of the social history of Gibraltar.
She said: “Gibraltar of yesteryear is very different to what it is now. In those days, we were very happy, we didn’t have what we have today but because we didn’t have it we made do.
“On the other hand, there was a lot lacking, such as the help to go study. The youngsters today should feel grateful for all that they have, because we didn’t have any of that.
“We were a very united people, a very happy people and very strong; we survived the closure of the frontier, but we didn’t think about it we just got on with it.”
These differences are highlighted in the book as Ms Gomez speaks of her childhood after her family returned from London after the evacuation.
Ms Gomez was crowned Miss Gibraltar in 1970 at the age of 21, and it was after that opportunity that she decided to go to London to pursue an acting career.
While in London, she appeared in various West End productions, including working with Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Ms Gomez started her acting career with a part in Buddy Holly, but unfortunately that show wrapped up in London to return to Broadway. She persevered with her acting career, and featured in sci-fi fan favourite Dr Who, and also played the part of Ferula in a theatre production of Isabel Allende’s The House of Spirits, and ran her own dazzling West End production of Carmen Miranda.
It was after this that Ms Gomez returned to Gibraltar to help her sister Yvonne care for their parents.
Ms Gomez was recently recognised by the Government of Gibraltar when she was honoured with a Medallion of Distinction for her outstanding achievement in the performing arts.
For Ms Gomez, this book represents a memory of her family which is very important for her.
She adds: “Yvonne and I never married, we haven’t had children or have a bloodline, but in this book, people are going to remember me and Gibraltar - I insist this is a remarkable place.”
It took three years to write Memories Bound Up With Life, and there are more than 7,000 images used in the book, which Ms Gomez describes as the perfect coffee table book with photos from her childhood to the most recent. The foreword was written by Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, and the introduction was prepared by close friend and fellow writer Mike Brufal.
The book sells for £14.99 and is sold at local bookshops as well as the Gibraltar Museum.
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