A Beer, A Bap and A Boffin in Pitlochry
Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s amphitheatre is set to host an exciting series of fascinating talks presented in collaboration with The Royal Society of Edinburgh.
A Beer, A Bap and A Boffin will open on Saturday 14 June, in Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s picturesque outdoor amphitheatre, with the novelist and poet James Robertson FRSE who will host What’s next for Libraries, Literature and Creativity?, a discussion on the historical and present role of libraries in our society, which asks how that role might change in the years ahead. The talk will also include short readings from James’ own work.
Further talks will take place later in the summer on Saturday 2 August when David Field FRSE, the chief executive officer of the Royal Zoological Society Scotland, will present How to train your wildcat, which will uncover the techniques used to prepare zoo-bred wildcats for life in the wild, and how similar techniques are helping bring back other species, from pine hoverflies to lynx. He will also talk about what it takes to bring back Scotland’s lost species.
On Saturday 23 August, Professor Niamh Nic Daeid FRSE will present What is forensic science and why does it matter? a discussion on how science can be used to support criminal investigations and the importance of really understanding the questions that scientific knowledge can answer.
The idea of A Beer, A Bap and A Boffin came from Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director Alan Cumming, who is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and was inspired by the widely celebrated A Play, A Pie and A Pint, which is based at Òran Mór and regularly tours Scotland.
He said: “One of the many surprises at Pitlochry Festival Theatre is our Explorers Garden and I want to find as many reasons as possible for it to be enjoyed. That’s why I thought of A Beer, A Bap and A Boffin! As a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, I have watched many academics mesmerise with their knowledge and rediscovered how fascinating it can be to learn about topics you’d otherwise never encounter. So, I invited some of these Boffins to do lectures in our Explorers Garden amphitheatre, and with the addition of a wee drink and a bite to eat as they extrapolate, I don’t think there could be a better way to spend a summer’s day! Also, full disclosure this is both a steal and a homage to Òran Mór’s brilliant A Play, A Pie and A Pint!”
Royal Society of Edinburgh President, Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli PRSE, added: “The RSE has such a wealth of knowledge and expertise at its disposal and our broad Fellowship covers a wide range of disciplines: from science and business to professions and the arts. This event series, the brainchild of RSE Fellow Alan Cumming, is a unique and exciting way for our Fellows to share their knowledge in an engaging and relaxing setting.
“Attendees will be able to enjoy Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s picturesque amphitheatre, with a beer and bap if they wish, and hear an expert talk passionately about a subject they know deeply and that will inform and entertain.
“The RSE belongs to all of Scotland, and events like this are just one way that Scotland’s National Academy can be there for the people it serves.”
All tickets for A Beer, A Bap and A Boffin will include a beer and a bap (vegetarian/vegan options and non-alcoholic options available). For tickets and further information visit online at pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com or call the Box Office on 01796 484626.
