Beryl Cook: A Private View

Beryl Cook: A Private View returns to the Barbican Theatre on 10, 11 and 12 September, the same weekend that would have been Beryl Cook's 100th birthday. It's a sell-out play that's toured internationally, and this time it's back in the city she called home.

Most of us know Beryl Cook by her paintings — those bold, playful oil scenes of people in pubs, shops and on lively nights out. They're instantly recognisable and loved globally, but the show is less about the public image and more about the woman behind it. The play gives an intimate look at her private world, and as part of the performance, she completes one of her paintings live on stage. It's a way of seeing the work come together in real time, rather than just seeing the finished canvas.

Playwright and performer Kara Wilson wrote the show and performs it herself, working closely with Beryl's family to bring her voice to life. The focus is on the wit, warmth and quiet determination that sat behind the laughter and colour of the paintings. It's a portrait of a Plymouth woman who became a household name, played back in the city where she lived and worked.

If you're in town for the show, there's a good reason to make a day of it: Pride & Joy, a major exhibition of Beryl's work, is running at The Box at the same time. Between the play and the exhibition, you can see her paintings as a whole and then hear the story of the woman who painted them. Tickets for the Barbican Theatre are £15, and the play runs on 10, 11 and 12 September.