Tickets left for Robert Burns inspired HAC performance

With Burns Night just around the corner, the Harbour Arts Centre is excited to welcome two badly behaving poets to North Ayrshire’s flagship arts and culture venue. The much-anticipated Badly Behaved Poets’ Society performance will take place on Friday 30 January from 7.30pm and offers an alternative way to celebrate our national icon.

Promising a sharp, witty performance, the show will explore the human side of two literary icons – Robert Burns and his Italian counterpart, Giovanni Pascoli and is suitable for ages 12 and above.

Written and performed by Lorenzo Novani as Robert Burns alongside Mark Coleman as Italian poet Giovanni Pascoli, the stage is set in an alternate world where the souls of the recently deceased poets meet each other before passing on to their final destinations.

Co-produced by Novani and Hilda De Felice, the play is a celebration of Robert Burns’ works paralleled with a comedic exploration of the poets’ darker sides.

Italian playwright and actor Lorenzo is excited to be back at HAC, he shares: “I've previously brought two one-man shows to the Harbour Arts Centre: Loving the Enemy (a WW2 love story) and Cracked Tiles (a tragicomedy set in a chip shop). The Badly-Behaved Poets' Society is a two-hander. It features Robert Burns a source of national fascination, and an Italian poet who was very important in the area my family originated, and in many ways, a polar opposite of Burns. I'm really excited to share it with the audience at HAC who are always so open-minded and engaged by new theatre.

“There is such a sensitivity and humanity in the work of Robert Burns, and it is so layered. We celebrate his work in the performance and the audience will hear segments of his poetry but the true force behind our new play, is our discoveries about his character. I believe Burns was someone who wrestled with self-doubt and his sense of worth and I hope this is something that will resonate with the audience.”

Tickets are £15 per person and £12.50 concession (subject to booking fee) and can be booked directly online now via the Harbour Arts Centre website.

Lorenzo adds: “I would encourage audience members to come along as we’ll provide them with a thought-provoking piece of theatre which is laced with verse and song. Whilst they'll appreciate some lively renditions of Burns' work, viewers will leave with a deeper understanding of the different aspects of Robert Burns character - the good, the bad and the ugly. I'm certain they will leave with some food for thought and a deeper understanding of the complex man behind the myth.”

Located at Irvine Harbourside, the venue is a single-story building and accessible for all. It is fully equipped for wheelchair users with two prime viewing areas in the auditorium (please book in advance). The venue also has accessible toilet facilities.

Councillor Alan Hill, Cabinet Member for Communities, Housing and Islands is encouraging visitors to book their tickets now. He shares:

Tickets can also be booked in person via the box office or by calling the venue during the opening hours of Wednesday to Saturday 9.30am until 4.30pm.

For other exciting events including arts and crafts, exhibitions, child-friendly performances, comedy, drama and more, visit the Harbour Arts Centre events page - but book now! Tickets are going fast!

Published: 23 January 2026