Act one.

William Fisher (“Holy Willie”), writes in his book a description of the latest confrontation between himself and a young couple caught in-flagrante behind the Inn. He is the self-appointed church-watch person on the problem of fornication in the parish. Sinners are called to account and must face the wrath of the minister and parish on the “cutty stool” in the church. There is however one damned young scoundrel he has yet to catch - a fancy, arrogant rhymer called Robert Burns. Willie’s anger is mounting as the scene changes to the HOLY FAIR - a week-long outdoor religious festival where markets vie with ministers old and new for the attentions of the public. Sermons are delivered and new ministers chosen. Assignations are made and broken. Drink is consumed in large quantities and slept off during the services. The young folk make fun of Fisher and his religious authority. We meet James Armour, another elder of the Kirk, whose daughter Jean is the focus of attention for the young poet. We soon see that Armour hates Burns especially for his rhymes that poke fun at the Kirk and which seem to be filling the neighbour-hood, His daughter’s obvious attraction to the poet is a source of constant grief. We learn Jean’s secret that she is pregnant and that Burns is the father. The Reverend “Daddy” Auld appears and delivers a hellfire sermon (‘The Bottomless Pit”) which genuinely frightens the villagers. After this he invites a prayer from the floor and to every one’s surprise Burns obliges. Prayers continue as Armour thanks God that his daughter is still intact, Jean prays for strength to tell her father and Burns prays for a happy life with Jean. Jean and Robert meet in secret, sing of their love and the future and, as usual, Burns gets carried away but Fisher and the congregation catch them red-handed. They are dragged to the cutty- stool where the minister bellows at them from the pulpit damning them for their sinful behaviour. All freeze as Burns sings of the first time they met (“Touched You”) and wishes the village would leave them alone. Admonished fully, the two are released, and, the secret out, Armour confronts Burns with his daughter. A full scale family squabble with Mrs Armour joining takes place at the end of which Armour decides that Jean will go to Paisley and marry Wilson the Weaver. Robert is devastated and asks Jean to deny her father. She is not strong enough however and bows to her father’s wishes. A sorrowful quartet ensues. Burns goes off very angry and tells his brother Gilbert that he will now go away to Jamaica to work on the plantations there. There is good money and no church of Scotland to tell him how to run his life. Gilbert has a letter which he reads to Burns announcing that his first book of poems is to be printed in Edinburgh. He is at last a published poet.

Fisher, Rev Auld and James Armour meet by chance and the conversation turns to Burns and his poetry. Fisher has acquired the book and the three discuss its merits intending to damn. They are taken aback however by the sheer beauty and strength of the poetry. Armour is angry and perplexed and quite drunk. The Scene changes to Poosie Nancie’s tavern, a local beggars dive where Burns, intending to get drunk, meets a ragged-arsed bunch of anarchic devils. He intends to celebrate his book and drown his sorrows over Jean and take the comfort of any girl available. Racer Jess makes advances on him but he rejects her and, in a big number “I Saw her like a rose”, realises that he can’t live without his Jean.

Act Two

After a Mozartian introduction very reminiscent of ‘The Magic Flute”, three Masons welcome Burns to Edinburgh and the Masonic Lodge. Immediately we are transported to an Edinburgh drawing-room filled with upper-class literati, experts on philosophy, literature and art. “The Edinburgh Minuet” is in progress and Bums is the guest of honour. He has to withstand the jibes of various high-class people about his farmer status and has to converse intelligently with several. He also has to endure a performance by the celebrated tenor Pietro Urbani who graces the company with an Italian song (“Portobello!”). Eventually Burns is invited to read some of his poetry and he obliges with lines from the “Cotter’s Saturday Night” It is plain to all that this man is no fool and his “God-given” talent is remarkable. He meets Lady Gordon who is an ardent admirer but it is obvious that another lady (Agnes MacLehose) is also very taken by him. We are aware that something deep has happened between them. The literati begin to fade away as the figure of Gilbert Burns suddenly emerges. He has come to tell Burns that Jean has borne him twins. Her father has thrown her out and the Muir family have given her a space in their barn. Burns is angry and adamant that Jean’s predicament is not of his doing. He has a new life now as a celebrated bard of Scotland. She can go to Hell. Gilbert leaves after a furious argument. The scene changes to Muir’s barn. Jean is settling the twins down for the night in a small cradle in the hay. She sings of her love for Burns and the forlorn hope that one day they will meet again. Suddenly the figure of Burns appears and the two are re-united but not after some angry words from Burns. The scene changes to a vestry in the Kirk. William Fisher is being interviewed by the Rev Auld and James Armour. Fisher is plainly dishevelled and distressed and the accusations are that he was caught in-flagrante with the girl from the first scene and he also cannot account for monies that have disappeared from the church plate recently. Relieved of his position and now in a state bordering on madness, Willie launches into a tirade on life, the church and Burns. He calls on Satan to avenge him. The scene changes gradually as Burns and Jean appear wrapped in love and begin their life together. The “invisible” Fisher observes them closely dancing around the couple who are unaware of his being. Suddenly he collapses and dies in a ditch. Only then are they aware of him. Willie has passed into history immortalised in Burns poetry forever as the arch hypocrite. Finally, as preparations are made for the wedding, many of Burn’s lines of poetry of life and truth are revealed before his figure, virtually statuesque, disappears into night.