The Bruce Festival opens today with a sell-out concert in Dunfermline Abbey, dramatic performances of Robert the Bruce’s life and a stunning son et lumiere that is expected to be visible for miles around.
The sold-out Dougie MacLean concert which opens the festival has attracted visitors from as far away as Canada, and Susan Hughes, chief executive of Dunfermline Delivers, which co-ordinates the annual extravaganza, said, “This is a fantastic opening to the festival. There is a great buzz around Dunfermline now as things finally come together.
“I have no doubt this will be a significant boost for the city, its reputation and its business community, too.”
She added that organisers were indebted to the support of EventScotland and Celebrating Fife for helping put on the much extended programme.
Fife Council is also supporting the festival as part of Celebrating Fife 2010 and Dorothy Browse, service manager for libraries, arts and museums, said organisers were confident that such a range of entertainment for families, local and international visitors will put Dunfermline firmly on the map as a place to visit and enjoy.
Dunfermline Abbey will become a murder scene, a coronation venue and a war camp for the festival. Bathed in a spectacular light show that will be visible from miles away, both the abbey and monastery will come alive with performances in six locations detailing the most compelling parts of the Robert the Bruce story.
Visitors will be led on a theatrical promenade while actors recreate the murder of Comyn in Greyfriars Kirk, Bruce’s coronation at Scone, the spider story from Rathlin Island, the battle address by Robert the Bruce in full armour on horseback the night before Bannockburn, the Declaration of Arbroath, and Bruce’s death.
Medieval music accompanies the action, and the audience will become part of the vignettes as bishops, earls and the people of Scotland at the coronation, and as the Scots army at Bannockburn.
The first weekend of the festival sees three concerts in the abbey. As well as Dougie MacLean, Karen Matheson and Dick Gaughan will each host a concert. Tours of the abbey for the son et lumiere and costumed theatrical storytelling of Bruce’s life are included in the concert ticket price. Later tours can be bought separately.
For details see www.visitdunfermline.com/brucefestival