Entering the space at Barons Court Theatre for this “hands on exploration” of the bawdy works of Robert Burns, we find Christine Weir and Jeremy Claydon already in character, welcoming us into this celebration.
Framed as a chatty piece between Weir (vocals, keyboard) and Claydon (vocals, percussion), we open with “My Love Is Like A Red Red Rose”, that showcases the purity of the Sckts ballad.
“Charlie Is My Darling” includes us in the chorus while allowing Weir and Claydon to prove their worth as musicians working seamlessly together. It also allows a bit of discussion about Burns’s reappropriation of material for nationalistic ends.
It’s a cautious step to the poems and songs of sexual explitiness, but when we get there, Weir’s outwardly staid Scots housekeeper runs with it with gusto and relish.
You can’t help but laugh and enjoy this show, and a glossary in the programne helps with talk of pintles and waulies! Leave your inhibitions at the door.
Clare Stopford directs and also gets the audience involved from the sidelines with well-placed interjections, claps, and enthusiasm. She ‘s envisioned a wild ride that celebrates ‘Scotland’s national poet’, but you don’t have to be native to the country to sing.
Claydon’s almost rock ‘n’ roll take on “The Fornicator” is a definite highlight, as is Weir’s lusty “A Man’s A Man For A’ That”. With sharp sound and atmospheric lighting, Rabbie Burns’ Bottom Drawers is a cheeky, mucky, immersive romp through the other side of the man who wrote “Auld Lang Syne”.
Be prepared to dive deep into the crevices and dark places creates by a man who bowdlerised folk songs as much as writing his own pointed material. Burns died aged 37, but, as Claydon reminds us at the end of the show, his influence remains clearly felt far and wide.
Rabbie Burns’ Bottom Drawers runs until 2nd August at Barons Court Theatre as part of the Camden Fringe with tickets available at https://camdenfringe.com/
Reviewer: Louise Penn
Reviewed: 29th July 2025
North West End UK Rating:
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