Burns exhibition plans revealed

Nov 13 2009 by Lorraine Howard, Irvine Herald

IRVINE’S Harbour Arts Centre is joining forces with the town’s Burns Club to host a mammoth exhibition.

Dear Mister Burns will see Irvine Burns Club and the HAC display some of the club’simpressive collection letters from honorary members.

And as well as the letters, the HAC has organised two musical events to support the exhibition later this month.

Hopscotch Theatre presents The Life and Times of Robert Burns on the afternoon of Saturday, November 28.

The theatre company will be using some of his songs and poems to discover the inspiration for one of Scotland’s most romantic figures.

Works explored include To A Mouse, Twa’ Dugs and My Love is like a Red, Red Rose.

And that same night, Joni Keen and Marcus Ford

perform Ae Fond Kiss at the HAC. Join Joni and world-class guitarist Marcus Ford for an evening of Scottish songs.

These events will accompany the Dear Mister Burns exhibition.

Literary giants Charles Dickens, Alfred Tennyson, George Bernard Shaw, JM Barrie and Seamus Heaney are all honorary members whose letters will be on show.

Politicians Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Bill Clinton, and actors Douglas Fairbanks Junior and Sir Sean Connery also accepted membership.

And sporting heroes Jackie Stewart, Roger Bannister and Jack Nicklaus are also among the collection.

The Irvine club wants to put the importance of the town and its influence on the poet out there.

Burns aficionado Ian Dickson has been responsible for compiling the letters for the exhibition and it’s a task he has thoroughly enjoyed.

“I am a believer in AA – academic accuracy – and I have enjoyed researching the letters in our collection.”

Dear Mister Burns runs from November 26 to November 30 at Irvine Burns Club, Eglinton Street and the HAC.