PM remembers Peta Alleyne’s wit, humour and legacy

P

rime Minister Mia Amor Mottley has paid tribute to veteran entertainer and broadcaster Peta Alleyne, recalling how the late actress impersonated her for more than three decades.

“For more than 30 years, Peta portrayed me. Nobody else came close to capturing my voice, my mannerisms and my likeness. She was great,” Mottley said in a tribute following Alleyne’s death at age 65.

The Prime Minister said Alleyne’s portrayal of her extended from Laff-it-Off to the Pic-O-De-Crop stage and was always done with skill and good taste.

“She gave me the joy of laughing at myself in the company of the country I love,” Mottley said.

She also praised Alleyne’s contributions to broadcasting, theatre and film, including her work at the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation and her memorable Laff-it-Off characters.

“Peta was one of the voices of Barbados. I will always be grateful for the wonderful way she brought mine to life,” the Prime Minister said.

Read the Prime Minister’s full tribute below:

There are e are voices we come to know so well that they become part of the sound of home. Peta Alleyne’s was one of those voices. Through Wilhelmina Herassofat and her many other characters in Laff-it-Off, she held up a mirror to Barbadian life. We recognised our neighbours and, sometimes a little uncomfortably, ourselves. For more than 30 years, Peta portrayed me. Nobody else came close to capturing my voice, my
mannerisms and my likeness. She was great.

Her portrayal of me became one of her best-known roles, extending from Laff-it-Off to the Pic-ODe-Crop stage and beyond. She did it with such skill and good taste that there was never any
rancour between us. She gave me the joy of laughing at myself in the company of the country I love.

Behind that laughter was a serious artist. Peta understood the difference a pause could make, the meaning in a change of tone, the expression that could complete a story. Her attention to detail reflected her respect for her craft and her audience.

At CBC, she brought that same command of voice and presence into our homes. Her contribution reached across broadcasting, theatre and film, including How Hard the Times, Enid and her script for Dem Come a Calling. She continued to contribute to Laff-it-Off through writing and recorded performances after stepping away from its regular stage cast.

As Barbados approaches 60 years of Independence and five years as a Republic, there is a particular sadness in losing so many of those who helped shape our nation and its culture. Peta helped us understand and enjoy what it means to be Barbadian. On behalf of the Government and people of Barbados, I extend heartfelt condolences to her son, Ade, her entire family, her CBC and Laff-it-Off families, and her many friends and fellow artistes.

Peta was one of the voices of Barbados. I will always be grateful for the wonderful way she brought mine to life.

May she rest in peace.

Prime Minister’s Office, Barbados