A 3.5m-tall puppet called the Birdman brought much cheer to the lunchtime crowd gathered at Asia Square yesterday.

The giant character - a cross between a man and an ostrich - and a team of musicians were part of The Birdman And His Chimera Orchestra, a roving and interactive street performance by French arts group Demain On Change Tout.

The 45-minute act wove together poetry and fantasy to tease and entertain the crowd with whimsical carnival tunes and curious antics.

Though the puppet weighs more than 60kg, it was held aloft with practised efficiency by puppeteer Sarah Isabelle Letouzy, 41. Helping her was fellow puppeteer Willy Franck Mathieu, 35, who controlled Birdman remotely.

The performance is one of the nearly 50 arts activities happening across the island this month as part of the biannual Arts In Your Neighbourhood programme. This is an initiative by the National Arts Council to bring enriching arts experiences to the public.

The Birdman And His Chimera Orchestra will be staged again at Marina Barrage today at 4pm and 7pm, and at Our Tampines Hub tomorrow at 5pm and 7.30pm.