Three of Scotland's leading young people's performance groups, Scottish Youth Theatre, Y Dance and the Youth Pipe Band of Scotland, each popular visitors to Inverness in their own right, are combining forces to bring the Bard's epic poem of witchcraft and wizardry, "Tam o' Shanter", to the stage. The production is also being staged at Stirling Castle and Haddo House in Aberdeenshire, but Eden Court, where the production can be seen on Monday , is the only conventional theatre to host the production.

While Burns is the best-known writer in Scots, one of Gaelic's most popular modern ambassadors will represent the language at Eden Court two days later. Julie Fowlis, originally from Uist but now based in Dingwall, has been collecting fans around the world with no connection to Gaelic culture, Ricky Gervais and Ian Rankin being among the best known. Her Wednesday evening headline show in the main Empire Theatre auditorium will see her joined by various musical friends to perform material from new album "Uam", which is released on Monday.

There will be another Hebridean link at Eden Court on the same night, but in the OneTouch Theatre, when musician David Allison presents "The St Kilda Tapes", a combination of music and visuals inspired by the Hebridean archipelago.

Acclaimed folk artist Julie Fowlis will headline her own show at Eden Court on Wednesday.

Allison will play live his original score while two Scottish Screen Archive films, "St Kilda — Britain's Loneliest Isle" and "A New Way to a New World", and specially shot video provide the visual element and the voice of Norman Gillies explores themes of emigration and home.

Other Homecoming highlights at Eden Court include comedy from Des Clark tonight in the OneTouch Theatre and the following night in the same venue, a hooley with the Tour-a-Rural Ceilidh Band, the band featured in murder mystery/ceilidh crossover "Accidental Death of An Accordionist", which features box player Sandy Brechin and piper and singer Annie Grace, formerly of Iron Horse.

Other Highland Homecoming events outwith Eden Court include a talk by "Time Team" archaeologist Mick Aston in Fortrose, jazz at various venues in Nairn and a family event at Urquhart Castle tomorrow.

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