In quest of humanity

This text examines the diversity of modes and motivations for the (re)appearance of animals in contemporary circus. Focusing on the motif of the wolf in three selected contemporary circus performances, it analyses how animal (re)presentation can be used as a means to bring about different dramaturgical effects: the inclusion of a multitude of animal (re)presentations enhances certain characteristics of circus disciplines; the staging of animals generates a shared lived experience; and the creation of parallels between animal and circus imaginaries yields a reception that transcends the merely aesthetic or spectacular. A circus-specific ‘zooësis’ is established to analyse the ways in which animals are represented in the context of circus discourses and techniques.