International Success, Leaving the Dam & Slaying Demons 15th April – 11th September 2004 Words cannot adequately express how happy we all were that THE GOOD COP was completed on time for the planned Danish […]
Read moreCategory Archives: The Bernician Chronicles
The Bernician Chronicles is the fifty year journal of the life and times of Michael O’Bernicia, which is being serialized on this blog for subscribers only, taking in his years spent on the London stand-up comedy circuit, fringe theatre circles and the hip indie movie scene, as well as the largely successful career he had under a different name, as a critically acclaimed comedian, playwright and filmmaker.
In addition, the Chronicles document The Bernician’s brief dalliance with mainstream fame, his blacklisting as a potential subversive and his rise from the ashes of his former life, as the nemesis of the rigged system which tried and failed to destroy him.
Nevertheless, it must be stressed that the Chronicles can only be properly understood if all of the chapters are read from the beginning. Otherwise, the extraordinary events they describe will simply not make sense.
In other words, start here and read on in sequence.
The Incredible Rise of UWP | Chapter Twenty of The Bernician Chronicles
The Incredible Rise of UWP January 2003 – September 2004 The first three months of 2003 were largely spent in UWP meetings with my partner Oliver and film producers with projects in various stages of […]
Read moreFrom Kenton To Kylie, Kim & Christiania | Chapter Nineteen of The Bernician Chronicles
From Kenton To Kylie, Kim & Christiania 14th July 2002 – 26th July 2003 EM and I arranged to meet at my sister’s place in Kenton, where we fell in love at first sight, only […]
Read moreBittersweet Success, Kissinger’s Plan & New Love | Chapter Eighteen of The Bernician Chronicles
Bittersweet Success, Kissinger’s Plan & New Love Monday January 7th 2002 Whatever I do, I simply can’t get the taste of bittersweet success out of my mouth. Following our still raw and painful break up […]
Read more15 Minutes of Fame, Daredevil Dating & the 1st 9/11 Whistleblower | Chapter Seventeen of The Bernician Chronicles
15 Minutes of Fame, Daredevil Dating & the 1st 9/11 Whistleblower On the last Sunday in August 2001, I sat down with my new flatmate, Brad, to watch the BBC infomercial I made the previous […]
Read moreHeartbreak, Homelessness & Geordie Boys | Chapter Sixteen of The Bernician Chronicles
Heartbreak, Homelessness & Geordie Boys | Chapter Sixteen of The Bernician Chronicles The first year of the new millennium, which seemed to promise so much during one of the most exciting six month periods of […]
Read moreUnexpected Visitor, Vic & Bob & the First Shutout | Chapter Fifteen of The Bernician Chronicles
Unexpected Visitor, Vic & Bob & the First Shutout During the warm summer of the first year of the new millennium, my life was transformed in ways I never imagined possible by an unexpected visitor. […]
Read moreAmsterdam Beckons, Cannes Return and Christopher Walken | Chapter Fourteen of The Bernician Chronicles
Amsterdam Beckons, Cannes Return and Christopher Walken Probably the best birthday present I have ever received was the trip to Amsterdam for CR and I, which was very generously bought and paid for by her […]
Read moreMaking Roadkill, Pitching Nefarious and Mr ICM – Chapter Thirteen of The Bernician Chronicles
Making Roadkill, Pitching Nefarious and Mr ICM Production in the Breacon Beacons We shot ROADKILL in the Breacon Beacons over five production days, during the first week of November 1998. For most of that time we […]
Read moreManic Depression, High Times and Roadkill: Chapter Twelve of The Bernician Chronicles
Manic Depression, High Times and Roadkill Despite the giddy highs I felt after graduating from the Dov Simens 2 Day Film School in November 1997, by the turn of the year I had sunk into […]
Read moreVic Naylor’s, Heady Daze and Dov Simens – Chapter Eleven of The Bernician Chronicles
Vic Naylor’s, Hazy Daze and Dov Simens Having literally visited thousands of bars during the course of my life, I have no hesitation is saying that Vic Naylor’s Bar and Grill on St. John’s Street, […]
Read moreKino-Eye, Little England and Cannes ’96 – Chapter Ten of The Bernician Chronicles
Kino-Eye, Little England and Cannes ’96 When Ray Brady and Chris Read from Kino-Eye Films asked me to develop THE TRUTH GAME into a screenplay, I honestly thought my film career was about to take […]
Read moreBlind Faith, Fringe Hits and The Workshop – Chapter Nine of The Bernician Chronicles
Blind Faith, Fringe Hits and The Workshop BLIND FAITH was a parody of my experiences on the stand-up circuit, which I wrote as a stage play, during the summer of 1993. Essentially, it was a […]
Read moreLondon Calling, Svejk and Tragic Events – Chapter Eight of The Bernician Chronicles
London Calling, Svejk and Tragic Events Following the completion of my degree, I headed north to my parents’ house in Morpeth, knowing that London was calling me south, one way or another. Nevertheless, just a […]
Read moreStand-Up, Le Mans and a Pyrrhic Victory – Chapter Seven of The Bernician Chronicles
Stand-Up, Le Mans & A Pyrrhic Victory Whilst I always knew I would become a stand-up comedian, I was to a certain extent motivated to do so at the earliest juncture, by events that transpired […]
Read moreLeicester Poly, Rights of Passage and Eviction – Chapter Six of The Bernician Chronicles
Leicester Poly, Rights of Passage and Eviction On the morning of my last A level exam, I had absolutely no idea that within a year I would be heading to the midlands, where I would […]
Read moreHepscott Hall, Coming of Age and Kevin Keegan – Chapter Five of The Bernician Chronicles
Hepscott Hall, Coming of Age and Kevin Keegan From the birth of my sister, Joanne, in 1974, our house in Cramlington felt smaller every year that passed, so my Dad started looking for a bigger […]
Read moreRiver Tyne, Coal Dust and Black ‘n’ White Blood – Chapter Four of The Bernician Chronicles
River Tyne, Coal Dust and Black ‘n’ White Blood Even though men born on the banks of the River Tyne have a reputation for liking a fight, I always took the non-violent option during potential […]
Read moreBirth, Sting & Attila the Nun – Chapter Three of The Bernician Chronicles
According to eye witnesses, I came into this world, bloodied but unbroken, after a twenty six hour, breach birth, in the maternity ward of Newcastle General Hospital.
Read moreSubversive Is As Subversive Does – Chapter Two of The Bernician Chronicles
“If ever there was an example of ‘security’ factors being used as a pretext for political vetting, it is at the BBC. When their security procedures were revealed in 1985, the corporation said that vetting […]
Read moreThe Director Who Knew Too Much – Chapter One of The Bernician Chronicles
The Director Who Knew Too Much 11 September 2004 On paper, as a first time feature film director, I really couldn’t expect things to be any better than they already appear to be, as I […]
Read moreAn Introduction to The Bernician Chronicles
This is an introduction to The Bernician Chronicles, the eclectic journal of my life and times as a comedian, playwright and a filmmaker, a blacklisted ‘potential subversive’ and a notoriously unrelenting recalcitrant.
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