Coolest cirque: Les 7 doigts de la mains

I am not sure why Montreal produces so many top contemporary circuses, does it have more gymnasts and circus schools than other cities? Perhaps. But thanks to Cirque du Soleil, which has redefined the word 'circus' and introduced us to a new form of entertainment. It is not just about the circus acts, other elements like music, theatre, dance, acrobats and visual designs are all taken into consideration.

I remember years ago (early 90s), I saw 'Saltimbanco' for the 1st time at the Royal Albert Hall and was completely blown away. I had never seen any circus performances like that before and I just loved it. Since then, I had seen 'Alegria' in Hong Kong, 'La Nouba' in Orlando and 'Saltimbanco' (2nd time) in London, but my excitment graudally diminished and their shows no longer interest me anymore.

My interest in 'nouveau cirques' returned when I saw Cirque Éloize's 'Rain' a few years ago in Moscow. I thought the show was creative, fun and full of energy. But within the past year, Les 7 doigts de la mains really caught my attention. I saw 'Traces' last year and this week, 'Psy', both at the Peacock theatre. Personally, I think they are the coolest circus around, they are young, talented, creative, energetic, clever, funny and just refreshing. There are no shiny costumes, heavy make-up and grand sets, yet the audiences are completely captivated by the shows. What makes this group stand out is that the performers are not 'faceless', they all play different characters with personalities and are related to the modern society e.g. the big brother act in 'Traces'. In 'Psy', the performers all have some kind of personality disorders and are given a segment each to 'show off' their skills. The set (a house with different rooms) is clever and well-designed, and the music is diverse, ranging from jazz to hip hop. The show is a combination of circus, dance and theatre, and the performers' attitude make everything seem so effortless (even though we all know that it can't be true). This is probably not a typical circus for young children, but it is probably the coolest circus for adults.