Peter Abbott: Grafton’s mime
I’m going to say one word to you, and one word only.
Mime.
You cringed, didn’t you?
Meet Peter Abbott.
He was a Grafton native who went on to international acclaim for his work as a mime. An exhibit of memorabilia associated with his life is now on display at the Grafton Historical Society, which saw a lot of visitors Sunday as part of Grafton Celebrates the Holidays.
Peter Abbott, who died in 1985 at the age of 32, was the founder and director of the Mime Studio in Worcester and “the driving force behind the New England Mime Festival,” according to the Historical Society.
At the time of his death, he was a featured performer for the 400-year-old Benneweis Circuis in Denmark.
I Googled Abbott and came up sadly short, save for a truly lovely post by Jeff on Wormtown Taxi where he recalls his friend’s short life:
Back around 1970 or so, Peter Abbott told me that he was going to study to be a mime. We were hanging out at the Grafton Common, where everybody hung out in those days. “A MIME???” I asked, in utter shock.
And really, mime aversion aside, how can you not adore the notion of a guy who grew up in Grafton choosing a very unconventional path, with good humor and clear vision, and doing well at it?
Mime.
Means something different to you now, doesn’t it?
I’m miming my comment…
I’m speachless…