Zugunruhe

Zugunruhe - Ornithology's term for 'migratory restlessness in birds'. From cages to planetariums, Zambia to UK, quantum biology to magnetic fields, this solo show explores the wild migration flight of a Marsh Warbler. Rehearsing among Somerset wetlands, Tom Bailey creates a feast of bird behaviour alongside a digital sound map.

Concerned with how political and media discourse surrounding refugees and migrants is dominated around economic and utilitarian valuation, this is artwork that aims to widen the lens on migration - looking at it from the point of view of natural history and evolution.

Zugunruhe, created by performer Tom Bailey, specifically explores the natural history of bird migration. The show was first developed in an audio concert format at the London Southbank Centre, 2016. It has since evolved at the Red Brick Centre, Glastonbury.

The show explores the migration journey of a Marsh Warbler from Zambia to the UK. It is the only known bird to imitate the calls of birds it encounters on its migration journey. Inspired by this poetic phenomenon in evolution, this solo show is made in collaboration with award-winning poet and sound designer Rowan Evans, mixing field recordings and composition to create a sound map of the Marsh Warbler's journey.

Balancing this journey with a theatrical interpretation of how humans have come to understand bird migration, this show combines physical theatre and lyrical sound composition to offer audiences an exploration of why and how things move across planet Earth.