Treatment of Burns play “Rhymer Rab-Patriot Bard” by Peter Burton

Treatment of Burns play “Rhymer Rab-Patriot Bard” by Peter Burton

 

Act One Scene One

 

Bob Dylan’s tribute to Burns “A Red Red Rose” is on display as a backdrop to an MC reading out an autobiographical Burns quote about his life. His best friend John Syme reads out a perceptive but bitter poem about Burns before “Ye Jacobites by Name” resumes. Burns parents discuss the merits of a good education for their two boys as the way out of a life of poverty before resolving to go ahead with obtaining a good teacher.

 

Scene Two

 

William Burnes discusses his son’s education with John Murdoch before jointly opening a large book to reveal the many influences on Robin and references to modern day rebels as images.

 

Scene Three

 

Gilbert and Robin discuss their teacher and education. Robin parodies their teacher’s habits to Gilbert’s amusement. After going to bed, Robin sneaks back up and reads and writes by candlelight. He declares to audience ‘he will build resolve on reason’.

 

Scene Four

 

Gilbert and Robin work the farm. Robin takes time out to read a verse from a satire He also declares his intentions to circulate it using a pseudonym to Gilbert’s horror.
Gilbert mentions Gavin Hamilton’s excommunication from the Church as a warning
but to no avail.

 

Scene Five

 

The family attend Church with a new addition- Betty Davidson- the maid. A fat aristocrat moves a poor girl from “his pew” to Robin’s overt displeasure. His attempt to intervene- successfully restrained by Gilbert-gets noticed by the Church Elders.

He sits back down, sees a creepy crawly on the women in front and gradually smiles.

 

Scene Six

 

William Burnes receives a factor’s letter informing him of an increase in rent. He resolves to fight back. Betty comforts the children who have started to weep with a
“Tam o Shanter”  like Ghost story.

 

Scene Seven

 

Bob Dylan- like “Don’t Look Back” cards containing lines from ‘Holy Willies Prayer’ are dropped while read out by Mary and James Armour to James increasing anger. He attributes the “ Ruisseix “ signature to “ Rab Mossgiel”.

 

 

 

 

Scene Eight

 

‘Auld Licht’ preachers read out a line each from the verse as a gleeful crowd dances in and out of them singing the verse.

 

Scene Nine

 

Robin meets Jean Armour and they exchange unfriendly reposts before Robin walks on to meet up with Lizzzie Paton for a “walk in the woods”.

 

Scene Ten

 

Robin argues with his father about going to dance classes and starting a Lodge while dressed as a dandy . This is observed by Gilbert with a mixture of fear and shocked admiration.

 

Scene Eleven

 

At the dance he asks Jean to dance and they make up. She tells him she likes singing ballads and he gets her to agree to meet to hear her sing one to him.

 

 

Scene Twelve

 

Three caricatured Holy Beagles put Lizzie Paton and Robin through a show trial

before fining them to Lizzie’s embarrassment and Robin’s thinly veiled disgust. The cast dance in and out a sing “A fig for those by law protected”. They are punished only for Robin to successfully encourage a reluctant Lizzie to go into the woods on the way home. Lizzie and the cast sing stanzas of bawdy songs.

 

 

Act Two Scene One

 

The MC introduces the main two political leaders of the day William Pitt and Henry Dundas. Pitt reads out a stanza of ‘Holy Willies Prayer’ that slights Dundas directly.

Simultaneously Tom Paine walks around with a Sandwich Board promoting his banned books “Common Sense" and "The Rights of Man". Dundas and Pitt discuss the threat of the growing Reform Movement and how to crush it while a queue forms to buy the banned books from Paine.

 

Scene Two

 

Gilbert and Robin discuss Gavin Hamilton’s victory while walking back to their cottage. On arrival they learn of the death of their father from their mother and Robin faints. He comes round to deliver a bitter monologue to the audience. Agnes and Betty Davidson discuss Robin and the wise maid reassures Agnes of Robin’s
character and uniqueness.

Scene Three

 

Jean tells her parents she is pregnant by Robin and intends to marry him. Her parents are apoplectic and her father forbids this. She is told she will be sent away to Paisley.

 

Scene Four

 

Walking on partitioned running machines the Armours and Robin are equally determined to get their way.

 

Scene Five

 

Robin tries to appease them with plans to make his fortune and do the right thing by Jean but the Armours are determined and tell him she has been sent away but with her agreement.

 

Scene Six

 

Robin takes this to heart and staggers from the pub distraught- cursing Jean. He bumps into John Syme and they console themselves with drink .Robin angrily declares his intention to play the field and potentially emigrate to Jamaica to both John and Gavin Hamilton who has just entered the “Howf “ There is some discussion about him getting his poems published before he leaves.

 

Scene Seven

 

Robin dances a slow waltz with ‘Highland Mary’ and he exchanges bibles with her. They dance to the tune “Will ye go to the Indies, my Mary"- sung beautifully by a single female voice. James Armour- eavesdropping- declares his intention to legally prevent emigration.

 

Scene Eight

 

The MC introduces the money -grubbing publisher William Creech to the audience who recites a cheeky self- referential stanza boasting of his own greed and duplicity.

 

Scene Nine

 

A crowd proceeds to the "The Holy Fair". There is a Question time style discussion of the key issue of the time – free will versus pre-destination as the crowd drifts away to dance, drink, and cohort- all observed by Robin who takes notes. A Punch and Judy show satirises the religious differences as a puppet God gets beaten by strict 'Auld Licht ministers' to the children’s amusement. A snake oil medicine man- Dr Hornbrook -sells dodgy “ medicine” to a crowd while having a pop at Robin within the latter’s  hearing distance only for Robin to take his notebook back out . He begins to write. A ceilidh is organised. Robin approaches a nervous Jean and asks her to dance and she agrees. They reconcile.

 

 

Scene Ten

 

Robin is in Edinburgh, He plays a chanter cross-legged sitting as posh aristocratic snakes appear only to drop down as soon as music stops.

 

Scene Eleven

 

A Bacchanalian ‘Chrochallian Fencible’ gathering sings and dances to a variety of bits of bawdy songs. This is followed by a buxom Marilynn Monroe Agnes Mclehose dancing and teasing Robin. ‘Green grow the rushes o’ fades as 'Ae Fond Kiss' begins to a single female voice and spotlight on Agnes. Jean Armour makes her famous 'Robin should have had twa wives’ comment to the audience.

 

Scene Twelve.

 

The MC reveals Robins ‘Scottish influences. Robin heads up Leith walk carrying a branch of a tree muttering angrily about William Creech as onlookers look on in amazement and make commentary. Creech panics on seeing Robin approaching his shop and rehearses to himself his excuse -only to be a model of calmness when Burns arrives at the shop door. Creech pleads poverty as a giant egg timer sifts sand. There is an argument about Royalties versus Cash in hand and Robin storms off with cash only. Creech hums 'Money Money Money' nonchalantly while counting vast sums out at the till.

 

Scene Thirteen

 

The Edinburgh Literati discuss Burn’s merits only to descend into criticism, observed by Robin without their noticing. He walks a tightrope back to Dumfries clearly in two minds whether to stay or go home.

 

Scene Fourteen

 

Robin sits morose in front of the fireplace as part of “The Vision” is narrated. This is followed by 'CA the Yowes' as a single female voice.

 

Act Three Scene One

 

Robin returns home exhausted to Dumfries and Jean. He tells her of his experiences in Edinburgh and that he has made a decision to secure a more regular income by going for the Excise. She sings him to sleep with a Stanza of “Lord Randall “- an old Scottish Ballad- the tune made famous by Bob Dylan.

 

Scene Two

 

Robin gets sworn in with gritted teeth as as Excise officer.

 

SceneThree

 

There are fast paced riotous scenes in Dumfries as food prices rise- this is juxtaposed with images of the 2011 British riots.  A “Proclamation against Sedition” is read out and people scurry to hide banned books.  Syme and Robin witness Thomas Muir of Huntershill being dragged in chains Jesus likes through Gatehouse of Fleet and both men agree to convene a meeting of the ‘Scottish Friends of the people’.

 

Scene Four.

 

“CA Ira “is sung in the Dumfries Theatre after Louise Fontenella recites part of “The Rights of Women”. Burns is amused but slinks down in his chair when ‘CA Ira’ is sung in the pit.

 

Scene Five.

 

There is a covert meeting held at 'The Globe Inn' but those attending have been observed by a spy. It is chaired by Gavin Maxwell. John Syme makes a fine speech about democracy and representation and they elect a delegate to the forthcoming Convention in Edinburgh .It finishes with Robin reciting “A Mans a Man…..

 

 Scene Six

 

Robin is interviewed by his fellow Excise officers at the Excise office about his activities at the Dumfries theatre. – His colleagues performing a role as they all wear masks. He is canny in his responses to the Excise officers and the atmosphere changes for the better when the senior supervisor leaves.

 

Scene Seven

 

The Excise Officers pursue smugglers on the Solway Firth “The Deils Awa wi’ the Exciseman’ strikes up as they pursue the smugglers of ‘The Rosemont’  Robin asks a colleague to keep three Carronades safe intending to purchase them at auction to send to the French Revolutionary Government.

 

Scene Eight

 

There is an argument with Syme in a howf as the French government threatens to invade and Robin joins the 'Dumfries Volunteers’. He is ill, suffering cold and feverish but insists to Syme on working on for his family. He recites part of “ The Slaves Lament’ on horseback and lines from “ Lines written on a Bank note “ in a howf where he takes rest –the large money board note card held up by the barmaid for him to read.

 

Scene Nine

 

He argues with Jean about continuing to work- and states that he intends to go to the Solway Firth to recover on the advice of his doctor – though it is clear he is dying.

Scene Ten

 

Robin delivers a monologue to the audience predicting his own future character assassination against the reality of poverty killing him. He recites a stanza of ‘A Man was Made to Mourn’.

 

Scene Eleven.

 

There is a funeral in Dumfries that is well- attended -the Dumfries volunteers fire a volley of shots over the body as two onlookers discuss the predicament of Jean Armour. An elderly distinguished Dylan lookalike lays a copy of ‘Blood on the Tracks’ on his coffin- a beautiful extended pipe version of “A Red Rose “plays out as the body is lowered into the grave.