A solo physical theatre work inspired by bird migration, Zugunruhe follows the journey of a marsh warbler across continents through sound and movement. Performer Tom Bailey recreates bird behavior on stage, accompanied by a digital sound map of migration. It’s a quiet, imaginative piece that connects animal instinct with human experience.

About the Show

Zugunruhe takes its name from an ornithological term describing the restless state birds experience before migration. The work centers on the marsh warbler, a bird known for echoing the sounds of its migratory route in its song.

The performance traces an 8000-kilometer journey from Africa to Europe. Along the way, the bird mimics the calls of other species, gradually building a layered “sound map” of its travels. On stage, this idea is translated through physical theatre and sound design, combining movement, observation, and recorded audio.

The piece was developed through rehearsals in wetlands, where performer Tom Bailey studied bird behavior. Composer Rowan Evans contributes a digital soundscape that reflects the migration path. The work premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2018 and received a Herald Angel Award.

Cast & Creatives

• Tom Bailey
  Creator and performer. Developed the work through field research among birds and translates their behavior into physical performance.
• Rowan Evans
  Composer. Created the digital sound map accompanying the performance.
• Mechanimal
  UK-based theatre company focused on live and immersive works, exploring themes of movement, environment, and how living beings navigate the world.

Why Go

There’s something quietly disorienting about this one. It starts with a bird, but doesn’t stay there for long. The way sound accumulates, the way movement repeats and shifts—it begins to feel less like watching nature and more like recognizing something familiar.

It’s not a narrative-heavy piece. It leans on atmosphere, on observation, on the slow realization that migration—whether animal or human—leaves traces that don’t quite settle. If anything, it’s the kind of show that lingers a bit after, rather than landing cleanly in the moment.