03/06/2026
We were so sad to hear, last week, of the death of Peter Thomson, Alibi’s first Chair as well as father to our much loved former colleague Annie Chave. Peter was an extraordinary man. Professor of Drama at Exeter University - charismatic, fiercely intelligent, mischievous and immensely supportive. A man of action to whom we owe a great deal. Here are a few words from Tim Spicer, one of the company’s co-founders:
“Peter was Alibi’s first chair, and it is hard to overstate his contribution to the company. Along with his wisdom and academic brilliance, he used the weight of legitimacy his professorial status lent to great effect.
Among many other things Peter was instrumental in Alibi using Emmanuel Hall for rehearsal and office space (Up until then the office had been in our kitchen and our rehearsals in beer soaked student bars or dusty Nissan huts among un-sold jumble.)
Peter talked to George (George Roman, then Artistic Director of the Northcott Theatre who no doubt Peter had been influential in appointing) and after a five minute tour of the building, accompanied by wild Hungarian gestures of magnanimity Alibi’s base appeared, as if by magic. Peter’s magic.
There’s a bar in Heaven with the cricket on.”
Thank you, Peter, from us all.
Image: Peter with his students
Photographer: Mark Randle
