Collection: Robin Cairns

Robin Cairns is that rare beast, a stand-up poet. Having written plays for London fringe theatres, songs for bands and journalism for various obscure titles he turned to verse by chance on millenium night in Manchester Airport. He had no idea it could be so much fun. To many people Robin is a comic poet. To himself he is a poet using comedy as a way of buying time to offer his tuppenceworth to the world. Robin travels to perform across Scotland on a regular basis - at poetry nights, slams, comedy clubs, ceilidhs (lots of ceilidhs) after-dinner engagements, in schools, in libraries, rock festivals, arts festivals, what have you got? He has had work published in various places but this wee booklet is his first collection. With it you also acquire a DVD of the author performing his much-in-demand poem Old Lochgelly at Glasgow's historic Britannia Panopticon Music Hall. This is the theatre where Stan Laurel made his stage debut at the age of 16. Robin performs there in his own shows and as part of the music hall troupe who are working to restore this dark hidden gem of Glasgow's theatrical past to its former glory. Robin Cairns is never happier than when he has an audience (or readers) laughing, as long as he knows he has something up his sleeve to squeeze a tear out of them soon.