Robin Williams is a ferocious feline in 'Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo'

Robin Williams certainly is a character.

His most recent role is a surprising one, as it's more animal than human. Williams currently plays a tiger in the dark comedy, "Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo," to mixed, but generally positive reviews.

In his Broadway debut, the feline character bites the hand off an American soldier. The gray-bearded actor then comes back as a tiger-ghost in crisis after being shot.

"He starts off and get awareness, and a consciousness," says Williams. "And then a conscience, and then bitterness, and then nihilism -- and then he returns to primal, feral Buddhism, so it's not a bad journey!"

The limited engagement show is helmed by Tony award winning director Moises Kaufman and was written by Rajiv Joseph, earning a Pulitzer Prize finalist spot in 2010. Production opened on Mar. 31.

Watch Williams' interview with CBS News and see clips of his performance in the video below.