Thick & Tight: Natural Behaviour

Dance theatre company Thick & Tight presents their award-winning show Natural Behaviour, a collection of performed portraits of human and non-human life forms.

Somewhere between a variety show and a biology essay come alive, Natural Behaviour is a queer look at what it means to be natural or unnatural, highlighting the essential role of diversity in all life.

Thick & Tight’s distinctive mixture of dance, satire, impersonation and poetry aims for the outrageous, the beautiful, the hilarious and the profound.

The line-up in this evening includes two moths, a pantomime horse, the dust in Quentin Crisp’s room, some flies on the wall, a lamenting songbird, a blade of grass and a lesbian seagull.

Thick & Tight’s co-directors Daniel Hay-Gordon and El Perry are joined by a cast of remarkable dance artists; Annie Edwards (Candoco), Azara Meghie (Ray Young, Talawa) and Jahmarley Bachelor (Punchdrunk). Natural Behaviour is designed by Tim Spooner, Pam Tait, Darren Evans and Nao Nagai.

"Deft, funny and utterly absorbing, a ravishing selection of short dance pieces that make their points about queerness and inclusivity with wit, passion and power. It’s fabulous." The Observer

"This is a show that’s rich, thoughtful, ridiculous and quite wonderful…hugely poignant and hugely silly" ★★★★ The Guardian

"A unique piece of art, thoughtful, considered, and unassuming" ★★★★ London Theatre

Natural Behaviour was awarded Achievement in Dance at the UK Theatre Awards 2025 and ranked no.1 Best Dance Show in the Guardian for 2025.

About the company:

Thick & Tight is an award-winning dance theatre company based in the UK, co-directed by Daniel Hay-Gordon and El Perry. Daniel and El create a mix of dance, mime, theatre, satire and drag, taking influence from a wide range of historical, political, literary and artistic subjects.

At the heart of Thick & Tight's practice, steered by a queer identity and perspective, is the intention to open up restrictive and elitist ideas of 'artistic excellence' and to explore dance as a political art form with the power to entertain while challenging social stigma.

Thick & Tight’s work has been presented extensively in the UK, including at Southbank, V&A, Sadler’s Wells, Tate, Barbican, Lowry and Royal Ballet and Opera, and at many festivals internationally. Of equal importance is the company’s focus on working in socially engaged contexts such as LGBTQ+ venues, social clubs and with community groups (Duckie, Moth Club, Posh Club). Thick & Tight work with an array of collaborators from across different artforms and with dance companies and arts organisations of many kinds. Thick & Tight are Associate Artists at Lowry and Philharmonia Artists in Residence, and were recipients of Achievement in Dance at the 2025 UK Theatre Awards.

thickandtight.com

Tickets and performance information:

Tickets:

• £16/£14 concessions
• £10 for Falmouth University and University of Exeter students

Performance information:

• Age guidance: 12+
• Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes (including a 20 minute interval)

Contact us:

T: +44(0)1326 259349