Natural Behaviour at the Unity Theatre

Outrageous, poetic and wildly imaginative, Thick & Tight bring their award-winning Natural Behaviour to Unity Theatre this November as part of Homotopia Festival 2026. Part biology lesson, part variety show and completely their own, this gloriously strange collection of short dance works takes a queer look at the natural world – and at what we choose to label ‘natural’ or ‘unnatural’.

The boundary-pushing duo of El Perry and Daniel Hay-Gordon have become known for their brilliantly subversive blend of movement, satire, impersonation and character work. One of the UK’s most distinctive dance-theatre companies, their previous productions have drawn inspiration from figures ranging from Derek Jarman and Barbara Cartland to Princess Diana and Rasputin.

In Natural Behaviour, they continue their exploration of identity, otherness and transformation, this time turning their attention to human and non-human life. The evening unfolds through a series of surreal portraits – with two moths, a pantomime horse, flies on a wall, a lamenting songbird, a blade of grass and even a lesbian seagull all making an appearance.

Blending contemporary dance, satire, poetry and impersonation, the work playfully questions the boundaries we draw around gender, species and behaviour. At its heart though, is a celebration of diversity – not as something outside the norm, but as something essential to life itself.

Thick & Tight are joined by dance artists Annie Edwards of Candoco, Azara Meghie and Punchdrunk performer Jahmarley Bachelor, with design by Tim Spooner, Pam Tait, Darren Evans and Nao Nagai. Since its premiere, Natural Behaviour has also picked up the Achievement in Dance award at the UK Theatre Awards 2025.

With queer politics, climate collapse, moths and pantomime horses all in the mix, expect something thoughtful, beautifully odd and difficult to categorise. And for anyone drawn to experimental, politically engaged or cross-genre performance, Natural Behaviour should absolutely be on your radar when it lands in Liverpool for one night only this November.