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Dateline: 17th April, 2009
Peter Robbins (1953 - 2009) Peter Robbins, my friend and "Sister" for thirty years, has died suddenly at the age of 56. Peter & I first played Ugly Sisters for my brother Vivyan at the Kenneth More Theatre in Ilford in 1981. We both enjoyed the experience and seemed to "gel", so decided to try for a second year at Porthcawl Grand Pavilion. A year later we were in Paul Elliott's office, and remained with the E&B and Qdos family for the next twenty-six years, appearing in (strangely) twenty eight pantomimes. Those pantomimes have taken us from Aberdeen to Plymouth, to Birmingham, Nottingham, Cardiff, Southampton, all over the UK, and with each panto we've met up with folk who have remained firm friends.We were lucky enough to spend several years with Rolf Harris, Windsor Davies, with Gary Wilmot and, recently Brian Conley. Peter began his career at the Westminster Children's Theatre, in rep at Butlins for the Denville Players, and tours that included No Sex Please and The Monkey Walk. He also toured in the Rock Musical Hair. Peter's first dame was at Camberley. He was, in his words "far too young", and professed it was a "disaster". Whilst touring last Autumn I obtained the review and would produce it much to his chagrin at odd moments. He was mortified that it simply said "Peter Robbins was as tall as the Beanstalk!" Peter was an accomplished Puppeteer, a skill he honed by working with his friend Sue Dacre. Peter used these skills in the Warner Brothers Film Little Shop of Horrors and in two Henson movies, Muppet Christmas Carol and Muppet Treasure Island. Like everywhere he went, Peter acquired many friends during these times. Peter and I toured in productions of Christmas Carol - he was Scrooge, I was Young Scrooge (that was a source of fun over the years), and in children's tours such as Wind In The Willows, The Wizard Of Oz, Pinocchio and Hansel and Gretel. In recent years Peter spent his summers touring with the Illyria theatre company, and was very proud to be an "Illyrian". He appeared as Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest both on tour and at the Edinburgh Festival, and as Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles. He was at the Edinburgh Festival in that role in 2008. Peter and I were featured in a Channel 4 documentary Pantoland, which followed us around the country with our touring Pantomime Roadshow, which we started fourteen years ago, taking the "magic" of pantomime to primary schools twice a year. An accomplished cook, Peter's pride and joy was when we appeared on Ready Steady Cook as the Sisters, and he won with his "Sharon's Surprise Pudding"! He was also very proud of appearing in Jennifer Saunder's Mirrorball for the BBC. Another great source of pride was appearing as "cover girls" for the panto book It's Behind You by Peter Lathan. For nearly thirty years we have shared dressing rooms, quick change rooms and usually digs. Our working relationship was at times like a marriage, and to countless pantomime cast members Peter was the provider of teas, coffees and mince pies at every interval. I am so pleased and so privileged to have spent thirty years in Peter's company. My thoughts go to Peter's partner Philip and to his brother Bob, Ann and family. Nigel Ellacott
Please note that all three Archive indices are very long and will therefore take some time to download.
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