Tradition of Suppers Has Made Rabbie
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34 THE SUNDAY POST/ January 25, 2009 Tradition of suppers has made Rabbie Burns’s secret he captures our E in Scotland have always been proud to proclaim The publication of his Kilmarnock Edition gave him the new life he sought — W Robert Burns as our national poet. but here on his native soil. In bowling clubs and church His poems were read with enthusiasm halls, in swanky hotels and posh By Clark McGinn throughout Scotland and soon expat Scots ■ Christopher dressed as Burns in Moscow. were requesting copies from all over clubs, at kitchen tables and Europe. student flats there will be all sorts songs of Scotland and told him tales of the Burns was no longer a local Russian soldier and sizes of Burns Supper this kings and heroes, witches and bogles that phenomenon. Quickly the Americans weekend, for today sees his make Scotland’s story rich. complimented our poet by printing pirate gave Christopher 250th birthday. These two sides of a young lad’s editions in Philadelphia and New York and But it would be wrong to say we upbringing mixed into a powerful cocktail he has never been out of print. own him exclusively — the whole called poetry. a real fright world this weekend will be Our Rab found he had a gift with words Translations joining in the fun. — but not the poems you were forced to The desire to read and understand Burns read in lessons in the words of formal By Sarah Johnson So how did our rantin’ has resulted in translations into all the English (the language of the school house, major languages of the world — and even rovin’ robin manage to not of the pub or the kitchen). STANDING IN Moscow’s Pushkin cover the globe? into standard English. Square, Christopher Tait should have Burns used the language of his people His books were a key factor in the Scots look on him as a to craft verses on the events around him been intimidated when a Russian international spread of his popularity but favourite son. — the land, hard work, strong drink and soldier marched towards him, pointing the real impetus came in a more practical He received traditional love. an accusing finger. But he’s come to fashion — the Burns Supper. expect a reaction wherever he goes. values from his parents. He soon found his words made lads From his father, a laugh and, more importantly, it made the In 1801, five years after his death, nine “Are you Robert Burns?” the soldier of the poet’s cronies met in Burns Cottage. demanded. As Christopher hesitated hard-work ethic, the lassies smile. the soldier hugged him and said, “I love importance of education His complex love life propelled him They ate haggis, recited his poems, sang Burns!” then recited one of his poems in and a belief in standing on towards a new life in Jamaica and he his songs and raised a glass to the memory Russian. your own two feet. resolved to publish his poems to build up of their departed friend. Having travelled the globe — including His mother sang him the old some capital for his emigration. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? Moscow, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai and New York — as Scotland’s favourite son, Christopher is one of the world’s leading Burns performers. The actor started performing as Burns 15 years ago, turning professional in 1999. Since then he’s been inundated with work. He says, “Burns has been translated into 50 different languages. They teach Burns as part of the curriculum in Russia, and we share the same patron saint. The St Andrew Society of Russia has invited me over a number of times. “When we were in Pushkin Square, a crowd of a few hundred started to gather and officials were starting to worry as big gatherings are discouraged. So when the soldier marched towards me I was concerned, but it turned out he’d been an admirer of Burns all his life. “I think the strangest event was in 2002 when I was ■ Left — the original Burns Cottage in Ayrshire, and (right) the replica built in Atlanta. invited to perform on board a 1940s motor yacht on Lake Washington for the 60th birthday of the Seattle Yacht Club’s Commodore, who was of Scottish descent.” His Alloway cottage — in Atlanta, USA Christopher developed a passion for Burns when he Scottish ancestors and they’re roof but we have to live within was at school and entered recital competitions. But it IN 1757, aspiring market By Sarah Johnson gardener William Burnes all keen to be involved in the building codes and couldn’t wasn’t until he was 21 and travelling in Australia that he Scottish activities. Burns’s get insurance against fire.” bought seven acres of land and plans for new streets, rediscovered the poet. legacy is important to them. in Alloway and built a including Alloway Place and Mac says he came to Burns “I came back to Scotland and started performing They’re 4000 miles away but humble cottage. Ayr Place, were drawn up. late compared to some of the poetry, just me in a kilt. It was my dad’s idea to work on still feel connected and have 100 members. “Some have been The cottage was completed in an act so I put together a costume and ‘became’ Burns. His son Robert was born such an affinity with him by in the club for 50 years but I “When I tell women what I do they’re curious,” smiles there on a cold January 1910, costing approximately celebrating his life and works. $2431, plus an additional $100 became interested when I went Christopher, who unlike Burns is a one-woman-man, morning two years later. I found that very moving. to see a performance of Rab having met his Russian girlfriend Tatiana five years ago. Since then the home of for the thatched roof. Originally on Atlanta’s outskirts, it’s now “It proves Burns is still The Rhymer and a friend Scotland’s most famous son has relevant today and his poems invited me to a meeting.” become a must-see destination in a residential neighbourhood Lassies within the city limits. touch man, no matter where for poetry lovers. you are. He laughs, “I’m asked what I have in common with The house, at 988 Alloway Monument Burns. I perform his poetry and tell his story, but as for But on the other side of the “The club’s very proud of the Atlantic, the Burns Club of Place, isn’t open to the public Mac said, “We privately fund acting like him, no. I don’t have a score of children by but last October Shonaig cottage, and rightly so.” the cottage and don’t publicise different lassies!” Atlanta won’t have far to travel to visit his birthplace — it’s McPherson, Chairwoman of the The interior is divided into it. It’s been on the National But he does share Burns’s admiration for the lady folk. right on their doorstep. National Trust for Scotland, the traditional four areas — Register of Historic Places He says, “Burns saved and spent six months’ wages on was invited to see it. butt, ben, barn, and byre. At the since 1983 and is listed as a a wedding dress for Jean Armour. He understood women One of Atlanta’s best-kept far end is the butt, which would Burns monument.” secrets, the world’s only replica Redesigned in 1969 to were to be cherished.” improve the resemblance, the have been the kitchen, dining The members celebrated last of the simple Ayrshire “auld room and parents’ bedroom. This year Christopher is very much in demand. He clay biggin” was built there in interior has been adapted for night with a Burns Supper and explains, “Homecoming 2009 has raised Burns’s profile 1911. club use, with an assembly The ben is the living room today Mac will lay a wreath at even more, if that’s possible. So instead of working three room replacing the barn and and children’s bedroom, which one of the several Burns busts or four weeks over Burns Night I have bookings As early as the 1870s, Burns byre and a kitchen added. in Atlanta is decorated with they have at the cottage. throughout the year.” admirers there met in private to Burns memorabilia. celebrate his birth. On January Mac, who has visited But he won’t be giving up the day job. When he isn’t 25, 1896, they became a club Curved The fireplace in the centre of Scotland many times, said, “I taking his Robert Burns Live tour around the world he’s and in 1907 decided to build a The one-storey building is the cottage has a stone plaque think Burns had an admiration Audio and Visual Manager for John Lewis in Edinburgh. clubhouse. slightly curved, as was the in memory of the poet. of freedom and respect for common people. He also takes Rabbie into schools, helping pupils A nine-acre site was bought original, which was built An alarm system guards the understand the life and works of the poet. by founder member Dr Joseph around a bend in the road. beloved “auld” cottage 24 hours “Someone once said ‘He “They’re fascinated. I tell them I’ve tied the horse up Jacobs — a pharmacist whose Shonaig was staggered by the a day. wrote like an angel, lived like a outside. Kids live in a visual world and I think it’s drugstore in the city was used similarities.