Award-winning Irish theatremaker Martha Knight brings The King of All Birds to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for its UK premiere, combining sound, history and imagination in a playful and inventive solo performance.
Presented at Summerhall, the production explores humanity’s relationship with the sky, tracing a journey from ancient folklore through to modern aviation and technology. Inspired by the tradition of aerial photographs in Irish homes, the show expands this cultural touchstone into a wider reflection on identity and belonging.
Blending gig theatre with storytelling, Knight weaves together live music, electronics and the classic Irish folk song Wild Mountain Thyme to create an immersive sonic landscape. The result is a work that is both whimsical and thought-provoking, charting the evolution of flight alongside personal and national narratives.
Originally premiering at Dublin Fringe Festival in 2023, where it won the George Fitzmaurice Award, The King of All Birds has since toured internationally before arriving in Edinburgh. Directed by Joy Nesbitt, the production showcases Knight’s distinctive approach to theatre-making, combining technical innovation with emotional resonance.
With its mix of humour, history and imagination, The King of All Birds invites audiences to look upward and reconsider the stories that unfold above us.
The King of All Birds runs at Summerhall from 06 – 31 August at 13:40. Tickets are on sale hereÂ
