Burlesque Burns Supper – what would the bard think?

Haggis, neeps, tatties and titillation as festival-goers flock to show which highlights poet’s naughty side

Enthralled festival audiences in Dumfries have been tucking into haggis, neeps and tatties while a nearly naked aerialist swings on a hoop above their heads.

The special Burlesque Burns Supper, which also features male cabaret performer Edd Muir, is taking place as part of Big Burns Supper in the town where Burns loved to revel, and wrote some of his most bawdy work.

The show, entitled Le Haggis, takes place in a 1920s-style mirrored tent and has been a complete sell out success.

Graham Main, Festival Director, said: “This is the sexiest show in the festival and audiences are just loving the mix of burlesque and Burns.

“Big Burns Supper is inspired by the spirit of the bard, and one aspect of his work that our Victorian ancestors often wanted to airbrush from his life was all his risqué writings that he used to share with friends and at gentlemen’s clubs.

“Burns loved all that’s most vivid and vibrant about life and if he was alive today I’m pretty sure he would have popped along to this show.”

Dr Pauline Mackay, lecturer in Burns Studies at Glasgow University and author of a forthcoming book on Burns and his bawdry, says the burlesque event is an interesting modern take on the poet’s writing about sex.

“Burns wrote a great deal of bawdry, but because of the legal restrictions of the times this had to be circulated in secrecy or read in private, among groups of friends or in gentlemen’s clubs.

“Burns enjoyed clubs, and getting together with male company. He also adored the company of women. I think he would have liked what have become our traditional Burns Suppers, but would also have approved of a celebration of the bawdy aspect of Scottish culture.”

Indeed, there’s something wildly Burnsian about Empress Stah Power performing aerial acrobatics to delight an audience that is being treated to hearty food, bawdy humour and a few drinks.

The change that has taken place, Dr Mackay points out, is that today we are free to create shows and performances around the sexualised themes which could only be written about behind closed doors in Burns’ day.

Stah said: “I was delighted to be invited to take part in a Burns Night festival – all through history people have loved the bawdy and the burlesque. Burns loved whisky, women and song – this would have been right up his street.”

Robert Burns lived in Dumfries when he was at the height of his powers. The area inspired some of his greatest work and he loved the social life of the town.

BBS 2014 is a community-based event which involves a host of groups and individuals from around Dumfries and has rapidly built up a reputation offering a great atmosphere and giving a real boost in the lull after Hogmanay.