caption birth_place birth_date image article_title
gerda waterville , county kerry stevenson at the féile na gréine festival , peeblesshire , scotland 1 january 1959 gerda co kerry.jpg stevenson at feile na greine , waterville , gerda stevenson

gerda stevenson

gerda stevenson -lrb- born 10 april 1956 in peeblesshire , scotland -rrb- is an award-winning scottish actress , director and writer , described by `` the scotsman '' in 1999 as `` scotland 's finest actress '' .
she has played many parts in the theatre , including the title role in edwin morgan 's phaedra and lady macbeth , and has appeared in many television dramas .
she was murron macclannough 's mother in the mel gibson film `` braveheart '' , and her voice is familiar to listeners of british radio , as a reader of short stories and adaptations .
in particular , she has performed several poems and songs by robert burns for the bbc .
her play federer versus murray toured to new york in 2012 , and her poetry collection if this were real was published by smokestack books in 2013 .
she has adapted a number of works for radio : `` self-control '' by mary brunton in which stevenson played the part of laura montreville ; `` for the love of willie '' by agnes owens in which stevenson played the part of liza ; `` the heart of midlothian '' by sir walter scott for bbc radio 4 , nominated for a sony award in 2008 , in which stevenson played the part of the heroine jeanie deans ; and `` sunset song '' by lewis grassic gibbon .
she has written radio plays including : `` island blue '' , `` secrets : the punter 's tale '' , `` secrets : the escort 's tale '' and `` the apple tree '' .
she directed the afternoon play `` the price of a fish supper '' .
stevenson 's partner is the scottish gaelic poet aonghas macneacail .
her father is the musician and composer ronald stevenson .
her sister savourna stevenson -lrb- born 1961 -rrb- has recorded works on the scottish harp , the clàrsach .
