Peter Oliver

Obituary by Odette Oliver

My dad, Peter Caddwalladder Oliver, was born by the sea in Porthcawl, South Wales, UK, on August 11, 1926. His father was a talented Pianist and Artist; his mother beautiful. Then one day his father gave up his passions and his mother grew cold.

After years studying music and tap dance, Peter said ‘no more’. He was 17. A year later, he escaped the home of his sick father, clinging grandmother and beautiful cold mother when he was called-up into the army. He rode camels in Palestine, dug latrines in the desert, smoked too many cigarettes and was lucky enough not to be blown up while in the St. David’s Hotel in Jerusalem.

On discharge, the Bristol Old Vic. gave him a place in their prestigious acting school. But the government decided otherwise: We’re not giving you money to be a clown on stage. You've been in the army – go, go be a Boys’ Club Leader. His dreams of being Mickey Rooney dashed, Peter went to Swansea University and learned the philosophy of leading boys and teaching them basket weaving — and joined the drama club.

His first Boys’ Club Leader job involved a lot of camping and hiking. This took him to Slough, a dreary suburb on the outskirts of London, where he met a petite, pretty, bicycle-riding woman who owned a television! Joan brightened up the landscape considerably – and a short time later, I was born…

Next stop was Hyde Lads Club in the North of England (where they talk like the soap opera Coronation Street.) The boys enjoyed the usual things like football, gymnastics and other rugged boy stuff, but Peter also revived the ‘Minstrel Show’. He went onward to Ellesmere Port, another northern town. Girls were introduced into the club for dances on Sundays, skiffle groups were formed, skirts were flying, and 'skits' were performed.

Then it was to London for more football and tramping through the countryside – and soon poetry, dance and drama. The Oval House Arts Centre was born out of the turmoil of the sixties. It quickly became one of the most exciting venues in London for experimental theatre and served as a base for numerous performance groups to travel the UK, Europe and eventually the world. Alumni include the actors Stephen Rea, Pierce Brosnan and John Ratzenberger, along with film director Mike Figgis.

After a trip to the U.S. (including a stay in San Francisco with the ex-Oval House comedy group Low Moan Spectacular) Peter was off to become the actor Mickey Rooney always led him to believe he could be. The following ten years were spent touring Europe with one of the most successful companies to emerge from the 'performance art’ revolution that he had been a major catalyst for during his time at Oval House - The Pip Simmons Company: brilliant, offensive, political and in your face.

His acting bug finally satisfied, Peter then went back to Wales and community work. Then a granddaughter arrived in Canada. Off he went, and on to retirement - or so we all thought. To those of you who live in this community I do not have to continue the story. His input at the Basement Theatre was monumental.

Since the days he sauntered through Slough in a pink shirt, red tie, green trilby and brown suede shoes, Peter has held the hand of his wife and partner in all, Joan. In the true sense of the word ‘together,’ they experienced the splendor and the struggle of being on the planet. Sometimes Joan had to drag Peter kicking and screaming, of course – and sometimes he had to hold her back. Together they created a special world that many of us had the privilege to share.

We all miss him dearly.