Burning Bright

Scotland's national bard comes to life in a spirited new musical in Pitlochry

- Alyson Orr

WHENEVER we celebrate the legacy of someone as beloved to Scotland as Robert Burns, it is often the same memories, works and anecdotes that we recall.

But what if celebrating Burns's heritage could take new forms? It is this notion that inspired actress and musician Alyson Orr to come up with an idea for a play that would celebrate Burns through the eyes of some of his staunchest supporters: the women who knew him best, including his mother, wife and muse.

"There's been so many plays and lots of versions of Burns's life," Alyson, who explains she has long been fascinated by the music of Burns's poetry, says. "But I thought it would be nice to have a different perspective and see it from the women's point of view."