Bernadette Fam
Creative / Directing
Bio
DIRECTOR | WRITER
STAGE
Bernadette Fam is an interdisciplinary dramaturg, director and theatre-maker. As an artist, Bernadette is passionate about exploring the intricacies of identity, belonging and cultural connection in Australia’s current socio-economic landscape.
As Dramaturg Bernadette has worked with a range of companies including but not limited to: Playwriting Australia, PYT Fairfield, Sydney Chamber Opera, Poetry in Action, Critical Stages Touring, Green Door Theatre Company, Rogues Projects and Antipodes Theatre. Bernadette has worked as a script assessor for Sydney Theatre Company and Griffin Theatre Company.
As director Bernadette directed the award winning Chewing Gum Dreams by Michaela Coel (Green Door Theatre Company/Red Line Productions), Blacklisted by Almitra Mavavala (Rogues Projects/Hayes Theatre Company) and the St Marys Kid Ensemble (Q Theatre). She has directed new work developments and readings for Green Door Theatre Company, Critical Stages Touring and Griffin Theatre Company. She assistant directed The Lifespan of a Fact (Sydney Theatre Company), Young Frankenstein (Hayes Theatre Company) and Lady Tabouli (National Theatre of Parramatta).
Bernadette is a past recipient of Create NSW’s Young Creative Leaders Fellowship and is currently a member of TNA’s inaugural Leadershift cohort. In 2022 she was a Literary Associate for Belvoir Theatre Company, a Griffin Studio artist and Creative Producer at Green Door Theatre Company. She is currently New Work Manager at Malthouse Theatre Company but also continues her freelance work as a director and artist.
Reviews
"Chewing Gum Dreams masterfully weaves between cheeky comedy and hardcore themes of classism, colourism, systemic racism, and sexual assualt thanks to the range of Pitso’s performance and Fam’s honest direction."
Diversity Arts Australia
"Absolute killer. Fantastic story. Hilarious...Great Music"
Sebiweir
"What a show! Everyone please go"
Jessica Loeb
"An air of reverence for the character, and for Coel’s text, puts strongly in focus, all that is important about Chewing Gum Dreams, demanding of us a corresponding gravity with which to consider the themes at play."
Suzy Goes Sees