Details

Eight Songs for a Mad King is an extravagant, disturbing and poignant portrayal of madness. The king is George III of England - or maybe another madman who believes himself to be that monarch - singing weirdly as he bemoans his fate and tries to teach his instrumentalist-birds to sing. The work draws on actual quotations of the King and on the records of those at court, including stories of the King singing extracts of The Messiah, speaking gibberish very quickly and teaching his pet birds to sing. It's an exploration of the King's mental state and an exploration of the affliction of madness.

Creatives/Company

Music: Peter Maxwell Davies
Lyrics: Randolph Stow
Company: Psappha Productions
Director: Tim Carroll
Design: Soutra Gilmour
Lighting: Simon Opie