The Burning is a 1971 historical play

Play (theatre)

A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...

, written by Stewart Conn

Stewart Conn

Stewart Conn is a Scottish poet and playwright, born in Hillhead, Glasgow . His father was a minister Kelvinside Church but the family moved to Kilmarnock, Ayrshire in 1941 when he was five. During the 60s and 70s he worked for the BBC at their offices off Queen Margaret Drive and moved to...

. Set during the life of James VI of Scotland, the play addresses the power struggle between the King and his cousin, the Earl of Bothwell

Earl of Bothwell

The title Earl of Bothwell has been created twice in the Peerage of Scotland. It was first created for Patrick Hepburn in 1488, and was forfeited in 1567. It was then created for Francis Stewart in 1587...

. The play exemplifies the brutality meted out to those caught in the midst of any struggle for religious or political power. It also deals with themes of witchcraft and superstition, within the context of a battle between authority and anarchy.