BURNS, A New Musical opening at the Edinburgh Playhouse

Totally reimagined from its Hollywood beginnings as the brainchild production of Michael Jackson and David Gest, this BURNS musical is a fresh take on the life of our national bard.

Article Source: Ambassador Theatre Group
Last Updated: 31 October 2022 11:23

Burns. A reimagination of the life of the Scottish 'People's Poet', Robert Burns.

Robert Burns is alive and well and living in the modern world! A genius with weakness? Yes. A womaniser, yes, but a cheat, no. Gifted, passionate and flawed, this farmer's son wants to make his father proud but is pulled between a life of duty and the calling of his creative destiny.

When his musical masterpiece written for 'The King of Pop' thrills the world, the fame Robert earns burns brightly...his new social media virality shining on both the light and the dark of his deeds, ultimately sparking a return to his roots to reach his salvation.
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Hilarious, harrowing and heart-warming, Burns gives you an inside view to the man you raise a glass to - for auld lang syne! Written by Scottish composer, musician and playwright Tish Tindall, this musical is an evolution of a Burns project now over 30 years in the making, first premiering in Hollywood as the Michael Jackson and David Gest collaboration Red Red Rose.

Helmed by Tish Tindall as the Narrator and featuring an all-female cast outwith the Bard himself, Burns will debut at the Edinburgh Playhouse on 20th January 2023.
Tickets for all three performances are on sale from 10:00 on 31st October 2022.
Edinburgh Playhouse
FRI 20 – SAT 21 JAN 2023
Fri 7:30pm + Sat 2:30pm and 7:30pm
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BURNS – THE MUSICAL’S JOURNEY FROM L.A. TO LOSSIEMOUTH, SCOTLAND

Totally reimagined from its Hollywood beginnings as the brainchild production of Michael Jackson and David Gest, this BURNS musical is a fresh take on the life of our national bard, completely upscaled and more spectacular than ever before.

“The [original] musical, starring John Barrowman, was performed in 1992 for backers in Hollywood and once in Holland in 1996. It was intended... to continue under the direction of legends Gene Kelly (Singin’ In The Rain) and Anthony Perkins (Psycho) but unfortunately before the project was fully finished, both gentlemen died,” explained David Gest in 2014 – the year he picked the project back up with Scottish talent Tish Tindall before, sadly, passing away in 2016.

With Gest, Tindall along with producer Diane Aspinall of their jointly owned Lossie Entertainment Academy created a brand-new version, which premiered in Scotland as Robert Burns The Musical in 2015. In November 2021 after a handful of touring performances and 2 Fringe runs since its premiere, the show was workshopped and filmed at Silverbox Studios for an online audience as BURNS. Now restaged for a live, full-scale production BURNS will premiere at the Edinburgh Playhouse in January 2023 just in time for Burns Night.

Tish Tindall shares her excitement of the BURNS musical journey, commenting on the “edu-tainment” comparisons critics have made to shows like Hamilton and Six:
"Much like Burns' life, this 21st century story about an 18th century genius is about daring to dream, following your dreams and never giving up...Scotland is going to be known as a country that produces musical theatre hits like Hamilton if we keep following that dream.”

BURNS will feature young Scottish talent, a crucial element to Lossie Entertainment Academy co-founder Tindall, who views locally produced and developed stagecraft as the key to instilling the next generation of creatives with a pride of worth, something sought and strived for by Burns himself and a strong theme in the musical BURNS. “I’ve always believed in the power of opportunity. To give people opportunity is the best way to share creativity. Overnight success is so prevalent nowadays, but creatives need a strong foundation and a professional environment to hone and develop their craft in order to have a long career in this industry. I have a drive to place lesser-known Scottish talent in the biggest opportunities I can because our nation’s talent shouldn’t have to relocate to make their artistic career in Scotland,” says Tindall.

Casting and creative team to be announced in due course.

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