Gentle Unicorn by Chiara Bersani

Clothed in the skin of a mythical creature, Chiara Bersani, 98 cm tall, presents herself to us as the unicorn – slowly and provocatively giving life to its breath, its eyes, its body and essence, and inviting us to reflect on our perceptions of what we see. Quiet and thought-provoking, Gentle Unicorn is a deceptively simple work of physical theatre that bewitches the audience and slows time, revealing the impossibly magical creature as wholly and terribly human.

Award-winning Italian artist Chiara Bersani creates work that examines the politics and meaning of the body in society. With Gentle Unicorn she explores the interpretations given to bodies that meet societal expectations in different ways. Alone on stage, Bersani takes control of the way we view her, gently challenging us to lock eyes with her and look. As she unflinchingly returns our gaze, subtly subverting hints of voyeurism, we are also forced to look at ourselves.

As an actor and performer, Bersani is trained in theatrical research, contemporary dance and performance, and has worked with renowned contemporary performance artists such as Rodrigo Garcia, Jérôme Bel and Alessandro Sciarroni. Gentle Unicorn was selected for Aerowaves Twenty 2019, and presented at the Venice Biennale, Reykjavík Dance Festival and London’s international dance festival Dance Umbrella to wide acclaim. In 2019, Bersani was recognised at Italy’s most prestigious performing arts awards with an UBU Best Newcomer Award for Performers under 35, as well as the Total Theatre Award for Dance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.