At the heart of a 4 x 4 metre arena, halfway between a boxing ring and an art exhibition space, an acrobat embarks on a joyous and disturbing journey into animal strangeness.

Hichem Chérif exhibits the animals that live inside him much like a showman working with circus animals. Without any masks or tricks, he changes his nature and becomes a four-legged animal, bird, or primate, etc. Without simply imitating the animal, he imposes his presence and his spirit through posture, looks, and leaps brimming with truth.

He is neither deformed, nor a champion of an extravagant discipline, but a member of our human menagerie. Bestiaire is filled with surprise and wonder, using humour to convey a love of intense performance and self-invention off the beaten track. It’s a vibrant ode to imagination and freedom.