Alyce Platt gathers her star friends DID SOMEB ODY SAY

Kerry and Deb meet fans at the lunch. Left: Alyce’s friend Danielle (far left) flew in from LADIES’ LUNCH?! Paris for the day.

KERRY Kerry, who became friends with Alyce ARMSTRONG through Deborra-lee, con!des she is Alyce Platt and some pals thinking of taking a break from acting. ZOE “I actually want to go to the other side invite GLEN WILLIAMS BERTRAM of the camera,” she says. “I’m interested in to lunch to celebrate her producing, writing and directing. I’m also move into fashion design teaching. Deborra-lee started up an acting ALLY school with me years ago and now Kim lyce Platt is immediately FOWLER Krejus, one of the lovely women here today, recognisable. That carefree has started the 16th Street Actors Studio laugh, her quick, reassuring “It was while Hugh was and I’m pouring my energy into that.” smile… she has the warm !lming X-Men,” Alyce recalls. “And when Kerry might also go back to the US, where familiarity of an old friend. their son Oscar came along, they gave me she enjoyed acting success in the late 80s. A As she makes her way through the buzz of the honour of being his godmother. In fact, “I’m in a really good place,” she says. “I’m Melbourne restaurant Left Bank, where she’s Deb and Hugh did a lot of their courting at loving being a mum to three beautiful boys.” hosting a special lunch, she turns heads. my house in Melbourne.” Zoe became mates with Alyce while !lming In the 80s, we couldn’t get enough of Alyce Joining Deborra-lee for the occasion are the children’s series Animal Park and was then on drama-charged soap Sons And Daughters. actors Zoe Bertram, Kerry Armstrong, Ally a back-up singer in her band. Like many of the Then she was the much-loved hostess on Fowler, , Kimberley Davies girls, she remembers the mad times they shared game show Sale Of The Century, appearing and Antonia Murphy, to name a few. And while living in Baker Street, St Kilda. !ve nights a week as the ever-bubbly sidekick much to Alyce’s delight, merchant banker “We had about !ve years together,” Zoe says. to Tony Barber. And when she wasn’t on TV, Danielle Kadeyan managed to secure a "ight “It was just a creative, bohemian and groovy she toured with a band and earned a name from blizzard-ravaged Europe to be there. time. Alyce was a focal point of that house. for herself as a singer-songwriter. “I came all the way from Paris for this She’s like a beacon and we’re all drawn to her.” Along the way, Alyce, now 46, has made special girl,” says Danielle, who is a dear Ally’s eyes light up. “I lived in that house “important, lifelong friendships” with some friend of Carla Bruni, the wife of French too,” says the former Sons And Daughters star very famous Aussies. They’ve stuck by each president Nicolas Sarkozy. “Every now and singer, who is about to open in other through thick and thin – and all of them and then you meet incredible people, the stage production of . “When I came are here to celebrate her latest venture, and Alyce is one of them. She is the to Melbourne, I lived with Alyce’s family. They branching out into fashion symbol of what an Australian woman were so welcoming to me. Then later, when design with her new range, should be. She has an incredible I came back to Melbourne for [TV series] G`Zkli\j1>\fi^\=\kk`e^%K_XebjkfC\]k9Xeb#dp\jj\ek`XcjXcpZ\gcXkk%Zfd% My Essentials – Alyce Platt. perseverance, is incredibly giving Law Of The Land, I moved into Baker Street. “We wouldn’t have and never gives up.” They were very good, mad times!” missed this for the world,” The girls have come together Tottie, who was in Chantoozies with Ally, beams Deborra-lee on a chilly day, but it’s not long agrees and has a story of her own. Furness, who has left before the champagne – and “Alyce is fearless. She doesn’t think she is, hubby anecdotes – warm things up. but she is,” Tottie says. “She used to !ll in on at home to look after “There’s a great spirit of Chantoozies gigs if one of the singers couldn’t the kids while she generosity here,” enthuses make it. Once, we were touring in Broome and catches up. “I can’t Kerry, who, like the had four days off. In that four-day period Alyce say enough about others, wears a funky learned how to paint. She came back and said, Alyce. She is an sun-protection wrap ‘I’m now a painter.’ Not only that, she had incredible, creative, designed by Alyce an exhibition of her work up and happening generous person.” and a pendant within six months. Everything she puts her Deborra-lee and that cleverly mind to, she does. And now she’s a designer.” Hugh love Alyce doubles as a Looking around the table at her amazing so much they once magnifying circle of friends, Alyce’s eyes brim with tears. invited her to live DEBORRA-LEE glass. “My mother, Norma, once told me I’m blessed with them for FURNESS with friendship,” she says. “I know I am.” a few months TOTTIE And those friends, like her new range, in LA. GOLDSMITH are absolutely essential to Alyce Platt. ALYCE PLATT www.womansday.com.au 37