Writer: Martha Knight
Director: Joy Nesbitt
Like all of the very best pieces of theatre, Martha Knight’s The King of All Birds is somewhat indescribable. If you were absolutely forced to, you’d probably use words like “bizarre” or “mesmerising”, or make an effort to remember and retell this take on the story of Mad King Sweeney. But the best way to talk about this production is simply to talk about Knight herself.
Entering the Cube she sits centre stage, in an eerie and beautiful bird costume (Jack Rogers has done a stunning job with the costuming here), patient and completely still, waiting for the show to start. From the moment she starts speaking she has the audience eating out of the palm of her hand, pulling nervous laughter as she plays with pauses and awkward silences and the loud pop of her oversized water battle. It’s a masterclass in presence and it’s impossible to look away from her. She has impeccable comic timing and a deep understanding of how to move in the space in the most interesting ways. 60 minutes is not enough time to spend with one of the most endearing and compelling and captivating presences, who lounges and perches and plays and tinkers all around the stage.
Aside from the marvel of Knight as an actor there are two other things that must be lauded about this remarkable show; the story and the sound. Not only knocking it out of the park as a performer, Knight is also the writer of this weird and wonderful story that explores some fascinating vignettes from the history of flight in all sorts of forms. The writing is so funny. It rips laughter out of you at unexpected moments in unexpected ways. But it’s also bewitching. There’s a sense of magic in these threads that connect and diverge and come back together over the course of the hour. The sound is what takes this piece to another level entirely. Knight begins with a simple rendition of “Wild Mountain Thyme”, just her voice spiralling gently into the rafters of the Cube, but as the show progresses she adds complexity after complexity, acoustic then electric accompaniment, strings and woodwind, loop pedals and distorters; it’s truly exquisite.
Eliciting some real introspection about what makes us so fascinated with the world that exists above our heads, and fond memories of this country’s obsession with aerial photographs, The King of All Birds is an absolute triumph from Knight and should under no circumstances be missed.
Runs Until Feb 14th 2026.
