‘Helen Bradley: Painter and Storyteller’ is the sixth painter play that Kara Wilson has written, where she portrays the artist at work and completes a painting in the artist’s style during the show. Previous shows brought to the Edinburgh Fringe include ‘Bloomsbury Bell’ (Wilson’s solo show about Vanessa Bell) and ‘Beryl Cook: A Private View’. This year Wilson performs in the persona of a 78-year-old Helen Bradley (1900 -1979) using the scenario of an art club as a vehicle for engaging her audience and telling her story. We really believe it is Bradley talking to us and she captivates us with her gentle humour and interesting anecdotes.
Bradley paints as she talks - the choice of “Oh, Just Look” as the painting in progress is perfect as it depicts Bradley herself as a 6-year-old child with her brother, George, their mother, Aunt Mary (“let’s give Aunt Mary a face”), and Aunt Frances. It appears natural for Bradley to regale us with stories about them and other family members and friends, as she meanders through her life from age 6 to 78 seemingly effortlessly and pleasingly.
To anyone who doesn’t know about Bradley’s life (such as me) it’s fascinating to discover that she had been an accomplished pianist and only “took up” painting at 65 when she could no longer play the piano due to cutting the top off her thumb! Bradley attended Oldham Art School aged 13 but “I have to say, I didn’t learn a thing” having been distracted by the social side of college and “rudely interrupted by war”. Inspired by visiting art exhibitions at 65 (where she was particularly interested in Mughal paintings which told stores) and meeting Lowry at an art club she takes the plunge and starts to paint. Bradley finds her forte in painting people she knew; a chance encounter leads to her exhibiting in London where her paintings sell well, and later she brings out some bestselling picture books based on her Edwardian childhood.
Wilson waits at the exit after the show to greet the audience and there’s the chance to exchange a few words, she tells me that some of her monologue uses Bradley’s actual words from various sources including her when she was a guest on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs in 1975. The monologue certainly comes across as authentic and natural. This is clearly a well-researched and polished show.
‘Helen Bradley: Painter and Storyteller’ was written and performed by Kara Wilson and is showing at Cellar, Pleasance Courtyard (venue 33), Edinburgh Fringe 11:20 daily (5th –30th August (not 19th). Performance length: 55 minutes (no interval). Age suitability: 12+
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/helen-bradley-painter-and-storyteller
Reviewer: Sue Hayward
On: 12th August 2026
