Reports

In search of Robert Burns video presentation 25th January 23

To celebrate Burn’s night we enjoyed a video "In Search of Robert Burns" narrated by David Hayman

Our guide to the life and character of Robert Burns was the actor David Hayman, whose documentary was shown to the group, accompanied by Kevan’s electronic bagpipe music. We learned about Burns’ success as a farmer, a debator, an A-list celebrity in eighteenth century Edinburgh, and about his adventures with the ladies of the town. These were not always honourable! Despite his success as a poet, commentator and writer of songs, Burns died penniless as he felt no-one should be forced to pay for his work, an act of philanthropy which was at odds with his liking for fine things. Read in the original Scots dialect, his poetry is both more moving and far-reaching than is generally appreciated.