The Bard At Summerhall

See the poet as never before in this exuberant multi-arts festival

- Garry Fraser

THERE are many words and phrases written by Robert Burns that quickly spring to one’s lips, but Burns Unbroke isn’t one. It comes from the verse written at the beginning of his first poetry collection, the Kilmarnock Edition, which was published in 1786:

The Simple Bard, unbroke by rules of art, He pours the wild effusions of the heart: And if inspir’d ‘tis Nature’s pow’rs inspire; Her’s all the melting thrill, and her’s the kindling fire.

It’s the title of a multi-arts Burns festival that opens in Edinburgh’s Summerhall on January 25. Here you’ll find no addressing of the haggis, no immortal memories nor any other speeches that prevail at traditional Burns’ celebrations. Instead you’ll find a contemporary display of ingenious visual arts that explores the Bard’s life and highlight his continuing relevance in the 21st century.

The festival sees the end of three years’ planning by Sheilagh Tennant, inspired by a Burns-themed visual arts exhibition she curated in 2009.