Beryl Cook: A Private View Review

October 17, 2024

Beryl Cook: A Private View Review

1st – 26th October 2024

As we walk into the theatre, the music playing puts us straight into the mood. Soft jazz transports us into the world of Beryl Cook, or at least her studio in Plymouth in 2005. A great deal of love and research went into this one-woman show by writer and actor Kara Wilson, evident within the script and her performance. Cook (Wilson) enters her studio on stage and shouts back: “If I’m not done in an hour, John, bring me a drink!”

“Understated and charming, it is a must for Beryl Cook fans, and those who are keen to learn more”

Cook is recording a BBC documentary. The next hour and 10 minutes is a piece to camera, with Cook describing her life and work whilst live painting ‘Ladies’ Night’. We learn about her love of pubs: The drinking, the smoking, she loves to see people having fun, particularly in The Dolphin Pub, Plymouth. She won’t go without husband John though, as Cook is very shy, despite what some of the subjects of her art may suggest. A mixed bag and dark horse, shy old Cook tells stories of strippers called Ivor Dickie and drag acts called Ruby Venezuela, in addition to her and John’s time spent living in Africa, and her stint as a chorus girl in a travelling production of The Gypsy Princess. Her naughty demeanour shines through when we hear she always wanted a tattoo, and liked graffiti. “Who said there were rules in art?” She questioned, when she was told that “Real artists don’t use black paint.” She added some to her painting immediately.

If you have cast a wry smile whilst reading Andrew Marr’s criticism of the contemporary art world recently, you may empathise with Cook. Former Director of Tate, Sir Nicholas Serota once stated that there was never to be a Beryl Cook hung in any Tate gallery. Of course there was, but only to be part of the Rude Britannia Exhibition at Tate Modern in 2010, and then there were, in fact, two.

Beryl Cook: A Private View is an enjoyable, gentle 70 minutes of biography, brought to life by Wilson. Understated and charming, it is a must for Beryl Cook fans, and those who are keen to learn more. For the wider audience it may need a little more to entice – perhaps a few changes in position and music to break it up, but it is a lovely little show.

Rhea Shepherd