That was awesome, thrilling, harrowing and emotionally draining. The best thing I have done in ages, and it all stemmed from one long overdue phone call out of the blue and a very small idea… The rest was a lot of hard work and digging around… but worth every moment!
This is what it was always about.
Bringing people who probably had no idea I held them in such high regard, so that they could just be happy to be together. No “look at me and my west end career” stuff going on. The room was full of people I knew as kids, and yet even as adults they retained all the magic they had 20 years ago. Every single moment of the night was bliss, even trying to get Suzie Q of the hood of my car was fun (for a bit!).
Highlights of the evening were too numerous and plenty to single out, but Greg, Stu, Graham, Moose, Sean, Gary, Oliver, Jason, Steve & Steen were all on top form, and Graham did indeed show moments of blub that almost matched my Gwyneth moments. Im sure Greg did as well!! Speaking of which, Katie had at least 5 moments that I witnessed, and there was some tears shed in the girls changing room that night. Crossey was the first to shed a tear I beleive. Then everyone started at some point. Im glad to say I kept it all together and didnt blub once……. no, I counted at least 12 moments actually, but most of those were in private, another post for another time maybe. Not here though. Pippa Yorke was on top form, laughing all the way, as was Sez Racey…. Alison came bearing a gift for me, nameley a book on diving (how did she know???) and she is a star in her own right! Speaking of stars, Rachel Stanley looked the same. Tall, slim and hot! And in the corner by the old canteen window, Tash was as level headed and gounded as ever. Just such a nice person… and a big fan of the early worms! My old comedy partner Paula was just as funny and I only regret not having had time to chat longer. Same goes for Niki Wills. We just didnt have enough time! Still, we will always have Suzies Ketchup! Lesley Swabey, Tee & Heather were as classy now as they had always been. Gina managed to enjoy herself (a lot), as did Suzie Q. Karen, Paula and Viki M (minus wisdom teeth) mingled and had what can only be described as a ball. Mr John Partridge provided not only his usual charismatic charm for the evening, but for a moment the old John looked set to make an appearence as he decided to call some poor chap looking for a room to rent ( you see he left his number in the common room, and should he get a voice mail screaming GET YER BACON OUT he only has himself to blame. JP also provided a jaw dropping moment in the early hours of Sunday morning, yet only myself and Sarah Canon witnessed it. Rachel Starling and Lisa Chanter were gathered around the TV looking at their MANHUNTER routine (so eighties……so FlashDance!) Sue Town, Karen King, Marlene Pasquet and Pat Izen were there to remind us just how we were as students whilst also making us realize just how special they were as teachers, and Luis ruled with his speech skills (where as mine need a little more work, shall we say). My old mate, with me throughout every drama my life has thrown at me was there at my side throughout, Christine flew from Oz for this little thing I arranged….. and seeing Sarah and Louise again after 13 and 18 years respectivly has left my soul somewhat lifted.
And a big mention must go to Mark and Andrew (Mr Butler and Mr Haslam respectivly) for being mad enough and brave enough to walk into a room full of ex luvvies. Well done lads!
We are all twenty years older, but I have come to realize, its not the age that matters, its the mileage. Everyone had a story to tell. Good times, bad times…. really bad times. But no amount of pyscho babble or analysis will ever manage to crack the code that creates the bond that we all share, even after all this time.
DBC was a special time. A hard time, and the first of many things. First time away from home. First time over seas, first time over drawn, in love, broken hearted and through it all, those people we shared it with imprinted themselves to the others memory forever. Of course, thats a romantic way to look at it, but something is there pulling us all together.
It goes far beyond The Big Chill, or Gross Point Blank… two great reunion films….. this is something you cant bottle, film or experience by reading a blog.
and when all was said and done, it was good night from her, and good night from me.
The following day, I decided to have one last stab at making a speech. With everyone gone back to their normal lives, e mail was my delivery method, and with that I managed to get everything across that I wanted to say.
So, for the record, here it is….
Well, here we are, the morning after the night before… and what a night it was!
I really must thank EVERYONE that came, as well as thank those that opened the doors at DBC to us once again. The entire process of getting the reunion together was a daunting process that in total took three months of my life to arrange, and I was so moved to see you all so receptive and appreciative of my labors that again, even just thinking about it is causing me to emote once more! As well as all my efforts, I was totally unaware of the incredible efforts DBC were taking to further enhance the evening… amazing work all round. If you were not there last night, you missed what can only be described as a “beautiful thing!”
It was amazing to watch old friends come together and let the years just slip away…. and although I was not at my most verbose last night (which I have to say was brought about by an incredible and unexpected rush of emotion for which I was not prepared), what I really wanted to say was that each and everyone of you were an integral part of everyone else’s life for three years and you should be proud that even after all these years the bonds you created back then still run deep. I found it very hard to express this in any degree last night, and rather than let you all suffer a third attempt I decided it was best if I waited until I was able to do what I probably do best, and that is to string a few words together in an attempt to sum up the past 24 hours.
You were all so bloody fantastic last night, each and everyone. I hope that you will each take something uniquely personal from the experience, whether it was catching up with old friends, asserting that you made the right choices in life or maybe in some cases perhaps a wee bit of closure. As well as all of the above, I know that I came away from the experience saying some things that needed to be said, some hugs that needed to be hugged and some laughs that needed to be shared. You know who you are if you were on the receiving end of any of those. As always, thank you for being there. You know you always have, and its great knowing you always will. I couldn’t have gotten through the evening if it hadn’t been for the support and life long friendship of a few people in our year.
I went back to DBC this morning, and just as I said yesterday (or tried to say depending on your point of view towards my public speaking skills), there were new 1st years streaming out of the palace studio. I hope that they are fortunate enough to enjoy the friendships and bonds we once did… They looked so young and innocent. And I had an inkling that will soon change and that by December this year they will have already started to make these connections with people that should stay with them throughout their life, no matter how fragmented those connections may become over the years. They just have to remember that even the thinest of strands is enough to keep those connections together.
I’m proud that you all came, I am overwhelmed that it went so well and I really hope that through this you may have found a few old friends. Its down to you to keep those connections alive and well…. but should you lose touch again, I am more than willing to help.
But do please try to not lose touch quite as drastically as you have because in 20 years time I don’t want to have to start snooping around yet again…… its bloody hard work you know!!!!
Well done to you all…..
I would ask that if you have any digital photo’s from last night please can you contact me ASAP as I want to compile a collection of pictures from the reunion for all to share. E mail or stick em on a CD is fine. Let me know if you need my address.
I also noticed that a lot of people brought in pictures from “back in the day”. I would really like to get these scanned in as well for the old archives and for inclusion onto the DVD’s. Again, please contact me if you are willing to share your collection.
My parting words to you all?
I actually can’t think of anything that sums up quite how I feel about the reunion other than some words my mentor (Jim Henson) once said:
“My hope still is to leave the world a little bit better for my having been here. It’s a wonderful life and I love it.”
Well, enjoy yours to the full, we only get the one shot at it after all. Be well and lets do this again sometime…. its fun!
Craig
XXX
) and shall be out there, on a boat for a week diving and relaxing…… I think the time to go is in May, I just have to decide if I want to go to the over populated and now north red sea or venture into war torn Sudan just to get to the southern red sea… Getting there should be as big an adventure as the dives themselves….
