Monday, November 23, 2015

Bernard's 70th Birthday Party


What a fuck of a guest list: Allan Gray (Actor; friend), Christopher Gaze (artistic director of Bard and a friend) and his fabulous wife, Jennifer Bruce (a close friend), Dean Paul Gibson (one of the funniest, guy’s I know), Jane Mortifee (a dear friend), Bill Millerd (mentor, friend and former boss), Chris Allan (hilarious friend), Patti Allen (an actor whom I LOVE), Wendy Gorling (actor and long-time friend) and her hubby, David Cooper (whom I adore), Nicola Cavendish (an actor and true soul mate) and three people I don’t know well but are great, warm acquaintances: Kathryn Shaw, Pam Johnson and Stehanie Hargreaves.

All that … and booze with dinner. And our dinners were pre-paid and the menu fixed thanks to all the organizing by our host; Jon Bryden. We assembled to celebrate the birthday of a stage institution here in Vancouver—Bernard Cuffling.

You don’t assemble a party like this very often: Vancouver’s two largest theatre producers plus many of the finest local actors of my generation—all here in the town in which I was born (of an actor).
This is what life is for. Jane sang, people told stories about Bernard, the waiter was Hollywood handsome and a real treat AND … we had our own private room for the party. 

It was a surprise and you could see it on Bernard's face when he arrived. And the delightful miss Patti had brought whistles and hats for us. It was a total wonderful blast.

As Bernard arrived, we were in full form!
Miss Nicky
Jon toasting Bernard (back to us).

Chris Gaze honours Bernard, a beloved local actor.
I was Bernard's first Stage Manager in Vancouver.
Jane sang an a cappella rendition of Cabaret.

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