81-Year-Old Playwright Debuts Helen Bradley-Inspired Play at Edinburgh Fringe

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Kara Wilson stars in her sixth 'painter play,' recreating a live oil painting in Bradley's style.

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In this dynamic new 'painter play', the legendary Kara Wilson (Bloomsbury Bell; Beryl Cook: A Private View) recreates an entire oil painting from start to finish, live on stage, in Helen Bradley 's distinctive style. Working alongside the Lancashire artist's family, Kara has filled the show with a treasure trove of verbatim stories.

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Famous for depicting her Edwardian childhood on canvas and in bestselling picture books, Bradley became known for her naive painterly style, often using her hands to apply the paint in her own unorthodox way. Although creative all her life, Bradley did not start to paint until the age of 65 and died shortly before she was due to receive the MBE she was awarded. Helen Bradley : painter and storyteller invites audiences to celebrate this artist's work in a highly researched production, written using unpublished archival documents from Helen Bradley 's estate.

This rich story will enlighten those who are fans of her work and those who are learning about her for the first time alike. A Fringe veteran, Wilson has been performing in Edinburgh since the 1960s and Helen Bradley : painter and storyteller marks the sixth in her series of 'painter plays'.

Kara Wilson comments, This is a show about a grandmother who discovered herself as a painter at the age of 65 and went on to receive international recognition until her death at 79. As an 81-year-old playwright, actor and painter myself, I feel a close bond with this artist as I too am asserting myself and moving into one of the most fruitful periods of my life at an advanced age. At 80 I decided to bring a new play to the Fringe every year for as long as I can. I am particularly excited to write about this artist as I can raid her books, radio and tv appearances for things she actually said and couple those stories with her granddaughter's first-hand memories. A truly privileged position. Performances will run August 5-30.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/scotland/article/HELEN-BRADLEY-PAINTER-AND-STORYTELLER-to-Make-Edinburgh-Fringe-Debut-20260529)._