Perthshire-born star of stage and screen Alan Cumming will return to the Fair City next week with a new touring dance theatre production.
Presented by the National Theatre of Scotland, The Joyce Theater in New York City and Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) Burn is a one-man show inspired by the life and legacy of Scotland’s national bard Robert Burns.
Scotland, then New York
A creative collaboration between Alan Cumming and Olivier award-winning choreographer Steven Hoggett, Burn previewed at Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock before moving to the King’s Theatre in Edinburgh as part of EIF.
It now tours to Perth Theatre from August 18 – 20; His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen (Aug 24 – 27); Theatre Royal, Glasgow (Aug 31 – Sep 3) and Eden Court, Inverness (Sep 8 –10).
After this, it heads to The Joyce Theater in New York City at the end of September. The Joyce Theater Foundation has an international reputation for cultivating and supporting dance artists as well as educating audiences.
Robert Burns, the man
Burn aims to challenge the often romanticised image of Robert Burns and goes beyond the poetry to focus on the man himself – including his poverty, personal tragedy, struggles with mental health as well as his spectacular success.
Though Alan, 57, has appeared in musical theatre productions throughout his career – including Cabaret on Broadway in 2014 – he is making his solo dance theatre debut in Burn.
He said: “I think all any artist wants to do is tell a story. And If I have one regret in my artistic life it would be that I did not become a dancer and be able to tell a story completely, with my entire body.
“When I finished Cabaret on Broadway in 2015 I was 50, and realised I was never going to be that fit again. I was never going to be asked to dance like that again, I was never going to be the lead dancer in a show. And I was sure I had one more thing left in me.”
He went on: “Robert Burns has always fascinated me. Through his work I feel he tells us the absolute truth of who we are as Scots, but the more I researched him the more I realised I didn’t know the absolute truth of him. Burn is my attempt at trying to tell more of his story using my whole body.”
The production features the music of contemporary musician and composer Anna Meredith, with set and video design by Ana Inés Jabares Pita and Lewis den Hertog.
Alan Cumming’s other work
It is the National Theatre of Scotland’s third transatlantic collaboration with Alan, and his most recent Scottish stage appearances include Alan Cumming Is Not Acting His Age (2021), Club Cumming (2018) and Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs (2016), all at Edinburgh International Festival.
At the end of last year, television viewers watched him tour Scotland in a campervan with actress Miriam Margolyes for Channel 4’s Miriam and Alan: Lost in Scotland.
He is the author of six books including the best-selling memoir Not My Father’s Son and the recently released Baggage, with the paperback edition launched in early June.
Alan is also due to appear at tomorrow’s Perthshire Pride event in Perth.
