Tina Harris
I am very sad to report that Peter, a much valued prop maker on many Questors productions over the years, has lost his battle with cancer. His involvement with Questors was important to him and he told his wife, Anna, he would like his wake to be held here.
John Davey
I worked with Peter several times on shows at The Questors. He was always a real joy to work with - the real go-to person as far as props were concerned. He was always thorough and meticulous, researching carefully to discover what was needed, both historically and practically in the
dramatic context of the play. He took a real pride in his work, not being satisfied until he'd got exactly what was wanted. But he was also the most delightful team-player, with absolutely no sense of ego - he was there to do the best possible job for the show and for the team that he was working with.
One example stands out as an example of the lengths he was prepared to go to to get things right. We were working on a production of a play by the hugely-respected playwright, Peter Whelan - a play, which despite his national fame as a playwright, had not been performed in his lifetime. Peter was a lifelong member of The Questors, and his widow, Ffrangcon (also a lifelong Questors member and actress) had offered the play to us. We struck lucky. The play, Sleepers in the Field, was a fine
piece of work - and, very unusually for an amateur theatre, it attracted a national newspaper review by Michael Billington in The Guardian. It was set in the Second World War and was the story of a family's involvement in it; it contained both a love-story and a tragedy.
But something which we hadn't taken much notice of in reading the play was the mention of a prop that was required for a scene when one of the family - the daughter who had joined the forces - was designated to look out for enemy aircraft. She and her colleague were using an instrument called a 'spotter telescope'. Now, as a theatre we're used to hiring specialist props which we don't have in store. Not far away from the theatre is a specialist military props hire place which does a lot of business hiring props to big film companies. We went there - but they didn't have anything remotely like what was required, nor did any other similar companies. Normally, we'd have approached the theatre or company which had first presented the play - but we were doing a World Premiere, so that avenue was closed. But the prop was absolutely essential to the show, so we had to find a solution.
We did find a solution - and that solution was Peter. In his usual methodical way, Peter researched exactly what was required, worked out ways of creating it, and obtained all the necessary materials - it had a complex mechanism, with many moving parts made from brass and other metals, two telescopic viewing points and a sturdy stand. It was painted in the required military green. Peter spent many hours creating it meticulously. It was quite simply the best piece of prop-making I have ever seen - and it gave the show the authenticity it required.
Peter, in his usual calm way, made no fuss about this - he just came up with the goods on time - as he always did.
It wasn't only that he was a hugely talented man - he was the easiest and nicest person to work with - and a real gentleman. He was a hugely valued member of Questors - and we miss him.
Anne Neville
Peter worked on many of the shows I directed and acted in. He was always wonderfully efficient, good humoured and kind. For Trojan Women he supplied us with M16 rifles for the U.S. (Greek) soldiers as we had decided to set it in postwar Iraq. I recall that he had to stow them in his boot after each rehearsal which might have looked rather suspicious!!!
We worked together on A Servant to Two Masters which we staged in 2008 at The Questors and we then took it to Venice for a week in 2009. We used to travel to our venue by vaporetto and all ate together on our huge balcony taking turns to cook for eighteen plus. Peter supplied a spotted dick for each performance !
Peter also did props on Enron in 2013. He sourced all the boxes within boxes in which the debts were hidden thereby visually showing capitalism a con trick.
He was a huge asset to Questors and a lovely human being. He will be much missed.
Alex Marker
In common with many Questors members who have worked at our theatre for any length of time I have benefited from Peter's input and expertise in the field of prop making on numerous occasions. One such prop I recall with clarity is the enormous goose he made for our 2011 production of A Christmas Carol, a goose so large and impressive for the Cratchet's Christmas dinner that it served to make the errand boy look even smaller and more pathetic than before.
The other thing I shared with Peter was his birthday... Along with Harriet Parsonage and Geoff Moore (It must be a props thing!), we formed part of the 'October the third' gang, as it seems that a surprising number of us seemed to have been born on this day, so, I will miss our little 'Happy Birthday' encounters in the corridor the week before.
Peter was a real team player and an asset to the life of our theatre and with his passing our birthday gang is now sadly down to three.
Sarah Vass
Loved Peter, who has been much missed at Questors in recent years.
Shaun Lati
This is terribly sad news, I have many fond memories of working with Peter.
Liz Cooper
I was sorry to read the sad news. I helped Peter with props for a number of shows
including three Christmas shows.
Maggie Turner
That is very sad indeed.
Louise Templeton
So sorry to hear this, he was a lovely guy, and so committed to doing a great job for
every show he worked on.
Lisa Varty
Very sad to hear this news, I worked with Peter several times and was so fond of him.
Paul Collins
Peter was a really lovely man. And on Enron he lavished a tremendous range of props.
Nichola Thomas
Very sad news. Peter was a lovely man and I worked with him backstage on various
shows over the years.