theatre feature

Alicia Devine: Loving Burns

RedHed Theatre bring some Burns to the Fringe

TW : What is the story behind Loving Burns?

AD : It’s ten years after the death of Robert Burns. Jean, his widow has invited Nancy McLehose (his great Edinburgh muse) to her house to celebrate his memory. Before meeting, each reflects on their experiences of loving this flawed but charismatic genius. There’s a few other characters as well, because he was a bit of a lad was Burns!

TW : How and why did you come up with this production?

AD : Burns has always struck me as the archetypal artist; talented, wild, cash-strapped and utterly faithful to the inner drive of his gift. He kept going, kept writing, despite everything that got in the way. I wanted to find a way of communicating that spirit; I wanted to get under his skin and enthuse others in the process. I also wanted to write myself a nice juicy role to play!

TW : What does Rabbie mean to you?

AD : He’s a reminder that no matter what, as artists, you can and must keep going and keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. People will thank you for that because most folk are too scared to do it themselves! Is that cheeky to say that?

TW : What do you think it would be like to be one of Burns lovers?

AD : I always say; ‘I’m a lover of Burns and wish I had been.’ I think the lassies went home with big smiles on their faces and not in the least disappointed! I think that every lassie he was with was made to feel they were the only woman alive at that moment. Pretty damn fine in my book!

TW : Yours is the only play about Burns at this year’s Fringe, how do you feel about that?

AD : Great! Next year is the bicentennial of his birth… I wanted to get a head start!

TW : Why is Burns such an important Scottish literary figure?

AD : He wrote about what surrounded him, in the language of the people that he lived amongst. He was very well educated and knew the work of the ancient Greek and Roman scholars, Shakespeare and other classical texts that are alluded to in many of his works. He delighted ordinary folk as well as the educated elite. He was also a major contributor to the Scots Musical Museum, a series of songbooks, saving many old tunes from extinction by penning great verses for them and in the process creating the heritage we enjoy today.

TW : I find his language difficult to read. Have you any suggestions to help me understand him better?

AD : Read it out loud. Get the words in your mouth and a wee Scots dictionary by your side. You’ll never look back.

TW : What do you think Burns would think of modern Scotland?

AD : I think Burns would delight in our democracy, our government, our creativity and our tenacity. I think he’d encourage us to be braver in achieving our dreams, by just being brave and bloody ‘doing’ it.

TW : What are your future plans for ‘Loving Burns’?

AD : Tour both here and abroad, hopefully. And if there are any promoters out there…?

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RedHed Theatre's 'Loving Burns' was on at Rocket @ Roxburghe Hotel.

published: Aug-2008

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