Bernard Bullbrook

Rain - Bernie Bullbrook 2nd from left

Member, 1967 to present

One of the founding fathers of the SLT, Bernard "Bernie" Bullbrook has been one of the longest serving members of the theatre.

Until his retirement and move to South Petherton, Somerset in 2006, Bernie was a regular feature in the the SLTC Members' Club bar.

Bernie was Deputy Chairman for many years and fought hard to ensure the SLT's voice was heard in council meetings and community groups throughout Lambeth.

Bernie was the leading light in founding Prompt Corner (see below).

Acting Roles

• Leonine in Pericles (1968) (Theatre)
• Jaques in The Miser (1968) (Theatre)
• Antonio in Twelfth Night (1969) (Theatre)
• Sgt. Match in What the Butler Saw (1971) (Theatre)
• Policeman in Toad of Toad Hall (1971) (Theatre)
• Character in Rain (1973) (Theatre)
• The Stage Manager in Easy Stages (2002) (Prompt Corner)
• Herald in The Stolen Princess (2003) (Bell Theatre)
• Becket in Four Nights In Knaresborough (2004) (Prompt Corner)
• Town Crier in Dick Whittington & His Cat (2005) (Bell Theatre)
• Alonso in Fuente Ovejuna (2005) (Bell Theatre)

Productions as Lighting Designer

• Dusa, Fish, Stas & Vi, 1981, Prompt Corner
• The Real Inspector Hound, 2000, Bell Theatre
• The Actor's Nightmare, 2000, Bell Theatre

Productions as Set Builder

• Fears and Mysteries of the Third Reich , (1979) , (Prompt Corner)
• Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, (1979) , (Main Stage)
• Dusa, Fish, Stas & Vi, 1981, Prompt Corner

Anecdotes

I remember a very moving speech that Bernie gave to the SLT Youth Group when we were preparing for Stay With Me (2006) (Prompt Corner). The play was based in the war and Bernie was an evacuee. He got all the children to lie down in Prompt Corner, in the dark, then turned the lights out - and described his feelings as a small boy, on a cold floor, in the dark, miles from home and frightened. And how he wet the bed because he knew that 'bed-wetters' were given an instant transport home.

Most moving was the fact that his very first theatrical performance was in the room in which we were all lying - long before it was Prompt Corner, it was St Luke's Church Hall and Bernie put on a charity performance to raise money for the war effort.

It is unsurprising therefore that he fought so long and hard to have Prompt Corner rebuilt as a theatre space.

~ Stuart Draper

Interests

Beer

External Links

• This Member's MySpace page.
• This member's Web Site.