New Robbie Burns play tours some of Scotland's finest historic sites this winter

A new stage show that draws heavily on Robert Burn’s private letters and archive material is to take the story of the bard to some of Scotland’s finest historic sites this winter.

Writer and actor James Clements will present the Burns Project at several sites owned by National Trust for Scotland (NTS), from Culloden Battlefield to Robert Burns Birthplace Museum , through the rest of November and January.

James Clements as Robert Burns in The Burns Project. PIC: Kelly Levacher. | Kelly Levacher

Mr Clements has delved into NTS’s recently digitised Robert Burns Collection of 2,500 items from letters to objects linked to the poet to create the piece, which is set to depict the bard “in all his poetic contradictions and brilliance”.

READ MORE: Robert Burns: 10 lesser-known facts about the bard

Commissioned by NTS and directed by multi-award winner Cora Bisset, The Burns Project made its debut to critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer, where it was staged at the charity’s Georgian House in Edinburgh.

A spokesman for the production said: “The Burns Project was created in collaboration with the Trust and sees Clements piece together rarely-before-seen writings and recently digitised archival material belonging to the Bard to conjure a complex, irreverent and honest portrait of a seminal Scottish literary figure

“Seeking to refresh and expand on existing personifications and representations of the poet, The Burns Project vividly brings to life the image of a man full of complexities and contradictions, capable of both deep love and callousness, of great progressiveness and political inconsistencies.

READ MORE: The ultimate literary guide for whisky lovers

“It is a story of a man with high ideals, who sometimes fell short of them, with layers of intrigue and mystery - it is the story of an icon and the story of us all.”

READ MORE: The night Robert Burns’ skull - with hair still attached - was removed from his crypt

The Burns Project will be staged in-the-round in the style of a traditional Burns Supper within in a number of the trust’s historic places. These locations include Brodie Castle, Drum Castle, the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, Culloden Battlefield, Haddo House, and The Georgian House.

The production moves through the framework of Burns’ life and relationships and has been described as a “moving and provocative” documentary theatre experience of the poet’s personal history and “kaleidoscopic personality”.

READ MORE: Sign up to our heritage newsletter and get all the best stories from Scotland’s past delivered to your inbox

The Burns Project is accompanied by traditional and original music from acclaimed Edinburgh-based multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Lisa Rigby.

READ MORE: Robert Burns: Story of the bard told through the women who knew him best

Michael Terwey, director of public engagement and research at NTS, said: “The Burns Project is an exciting pilot initiative for the trust’s emerging arts programme, which aims to activate historical properties through creative collaborations. We have so many resources across our places that support the exploration of Scottish history, art and culture, so there are many more opportunities to create works of art based on our collection.

“Robert Burns is a great place to start with this programme. He is such a well-known character, but Burns the man is still a mystery to many. We cannot wait to work with James and see what intricacies of the poet he pulls out of the archive and brings to life.”

Tickets are very limited for the show, which was staged at Brodie Castle in Moray on Tuesday night and will move to Drum Castle in Aberdeenshire on Thursday. The performance will then take over Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Ayr on both Saturday, November 29 and then again on January 9.

The show will be performed at Culloden Battlefield near Inverness on January 12 and at Haddo House in Aberdeenshire on January 14.