We are delighted to announce a brilliant set of events over the weekend of 20th and 21st July, to remember Robert Burns, who died in Dumfries on 21st July 1796.
We will be at 109 High Street on Saturday 20th, with music, poems, stories, pictures and fun stuff for all ages, brought together by our team.
We have 2 very special events running alongside our show.
On Saturday 20th, the Robert Burns Centre will show a moving documentary on Burns, featuring African American poet and writer, Maya Angelou. Our own local poet and writer, Hugh McMillan will lead a post film discussion.
On Sunday 21st, the Theatre Royal will show Mairi Sutherland's film Red Rose, which tells the story of Burns' years in Dumfries and the events which happened in this very theatre. Mairi will lead a Q&A session after the film and our guest soprano, Cheryl Anne Easton will sing.
Before the film, there will be an opportunity to join the Theatre Burns tour - details will follow. This is our tribute to Robert Burns and the ideas he held dear.
This has been such a great venture and we are excited to be working with two wonderful places, the Robert Burns Centre and the Theatre Royal. In addition to the
anniversary of Burns’ death, Mairi Sutherland’s film Red Rose has just reached its 20th anniversary too, so to see it in the Theatre is just magic. Mairi was born in Dumfries and several events were filmed in the original places, such as Burns’ House, the Theatre, Friars Carse and Ellisland Farm.
We discovered that in 1896, 100 years after Burns’ death, 50,000 people assembled in the Market Square to mark the anniversary. We can’t match that, but we hope this will rekindle the story of Burns in Dumfries. Join us!
