She Burns
★★★★☆ Warming
Scottish Poetry Library (Venue 203): Wed 5 – Sun 23 Aug 2026
Review by Hugh Simpson
She Burns from Best Laid Schemes at the Scottish Poetry Library is a tuneful, excellently put-together examination of Robert Burns from a female perspective.
It is performed by Sarah MacGillivray (who wrote the piece), Nicola Alexander (who also serves as musical director), Eilidh Hughes and Lori Flannigan. MacGillivray provides much of the linking narrative, but the others all do their share, as an attempt to conjure up the spirit of Burns goes awry.
Instead it provides us with many of the women who assisted him, inspired him, enabled him or otherwise caught his eye. Highland Mary, ‘Clarinda’ and his long-suffering wife Jean Armour are among those who make an appearance.
Sarah MacGillivray, Lori Flannigan, Eilidh Hughes and Nicola Alexander in She Burns at the Scottish Poetry Library. Pic: Best Laid Schemes.
Musical illustrations include Ae Fond Kiss, A Red, Red Rose and a particularly bewitching My Bonny Mary (also known as The Silver Tassie). These are provided by Alexander, Hughes and Flannigan, singly or in outstanding three-part harmony, with spare and tasteful guitar accompaniment by Alexander.
There’s an elegant mixture of entertainment and education in MacGillivray’s script; the show is perfect for beginners to Burns, but also will provide something new for all but the most avid scholar. The mix between the serious and the humorous is also broadly right.
The rapport between performers and audience (and between the performers) makes for an inclusive and inviting time. At times this does threaten to tip things over into the knockabout; this already has something of a cabaret feel rather than being a resolutely ‘folky’ affair.
Which isn’t a bad thing at all; it does increase the production’s appeal to the tourist market. It’s certainly far from kitsch, however; there’s a definite hard edge to much of it.
endlessly flexible
There is room (and audience) for all kinds of representations of Burns. There has been no shortage in recent years of productions approaching him from a female perspective, and this one is considered, fun and clever.
An attractive if cramped performing area is well used, although MacGillivray’s habit of disappearing from the front (while focusing deserved attention on the three singers) does lead to some distracting moments when the narrative is coming from behind the audience’s backs.
This is one of those productions you can imagine running forever. It’s also apparently endlessly flexible; stick in a couple more characters, some more songs, even an interval, and you’ve got a full-length show that could tour Scotland. And the world, why not?
Running time: One hour and 5 minutes (no interval).
Scottish Poetry Library (Mezzanine Level), 5 Crichton’s Close, EH8 8DT. (Venue 203).
Wednesday 5 – Saturday 23 August 2026.
5, 14, 21-23 Aug at 7pm; 8-9, 15-16 at 3pm.
Tickets and details: Book here at EdFringe.com.
She Burns website: sheburnstheshow.wixsite.com
Instagram: @sheburnstheshow
TikTok: @sheburnstheshow.
Sarah MacGillivray, Lori Flannigan, Eilidh Hughes and Nicola Alexander. Pic by Best Laid Schemes.
ENDS
