|
 Bernie has appeared in several
theatre shows / UK tours as a solo artist - the two most
prominent being Blood Brothers & Flashdance. The original Blood
Brothers production by Willy Russell was written as a school
play and presented in 1981. Russell then developed the work
into a full blown play, which opened in the Liverpool
Playhouse in 1983, starring Barbara Dickson. It was only a
modest success. The show transferred to London where it
played for only 6 months or so before closing. Bill Kenwright took over the show
& following a year long
national tour it reopened in the Albery Theatre in London in
1988 before transferring it to the Phoenix Theatre, where it
has been running ever since.
The production has now passed
its 20th year & has developed a cult following. Bernie
played the leading character both in London & on tour as
have her sisters Denise, Linda and Maureen earning them a
place in the Guinness Book of Records.
Bernie
toured in Mum's The Word
in 2007 & early 2008 playing the part of Robin and returned briefly to the role in
2010. Its a tell-it-like-it-is comedy about the trials &
tribulations of having children & the overwhelming effect
they have on your life. It is a production that hangs the
dirty-nappy laundry of maternity out to dry & brings both
the laughter & tears of motherhood to the stage. Humorous,
emotional & ecstatic, its a chorus line of
confessional anecdotes & vignettes combined to create the
mother of all comedies. Without the rose-coloured lens, the
show is a hilarious, intimate look at motherhood.
The latter part of 2008
&
early 2009 saw Bernie playing Hannah Owens in the musical 'Flashdance'.
Set in Pittsburgh USA,
Flashdance
told the story of 18 year old Alex, a
welder by day and ‘flashdancer’ by night,
whose dream is to obtain a place at the
prestigious Shipley Dance Academy. In 2010
Bernie fought and won her battle against
breast cancer but was well enough to tour in
2011.
Bernie joined the cast of Calendar
Girls - the famous play set against a background of
fund raising for Leukaemia research.
Bernie was part an all star cast for the productions last
ever tour. In 2012 Bernie
joins the cast of Chicago - the Musical playing Mama Morton the
matron who runs the county jail & looks after all the
girls.
Tour
dates here. |
