Review: 7 doigts de la main (The 7 Fingers) presents Psy

Peacock Theatre

Words: David Barros

Tickets: Buy from TicketWeb

Circus stunts in Psy at the Peacock Theatre Circus is a subject on the border of our remit on dance.

Having taken the opportunity to see Traces, and

liking what 7 doigts had to offer, their standing

ovation was repeated in yet another

exciting show.

The concept behind Psy explores the human psyche. It’s dark and edgy with a sprinkle of humour, similar to Bounce’s Insane in the Brain but with less dancing, more death defying.

Once again their “please turn off your phone” announcement was replaced with a humorous statistical breakdown of what percentage of the audience will seek psychiatric help, illustrated by the house lights focusing on different fractions of the audience.

The show began, set in the waiting room of a psychiatrist’s surgery where the cast is introduced - an insomniac, an obsessive compulsive, an addict, an agoraphobic, and so forth. All have problems, expressed through their circus specialties throughout the acts, which including hand-to-hand balancing (pictured, right), juggling, trapeze and flips.

Watching Psy, the thought that lingers in the back of my mind is "One wrong move and these guys could really injure themselves!" Trapeze acrobats swung all the way up to the rafters, then back across the width of the stage, managing to fit in triple spins at the insistence of their fellow cast members. To say my hands weren't sweaty throughout the show would be a lie.

New to their repertoire was a knife juggling act. Whether the blades were sharpened or not, they glistened menacingly in the light as the performer skilfully caught them, and were sharp enough to get wedged in wood when thrown.

The Chinese poles, in which acrobats climb to the top of a pole and extend their bodies horizontally, returned, creatively used in the scene where Claire the Insomniac falls asleep hanging upside down. So too is the German wheel, spinning like a penny dropping to the soundtrack of a rhythmic bongo as the acrobat battles their personal torment, a moment that was more personal than entertaining.

Did Psy live up to the excitement of Traces? Well, no. The main criticism of Psy is the pace is slower than its predecessor, meaning the focus on one scene lasts longer. Add to it lengthy transitions and it spends a little too long setting up the next scene. However, there is always action happening on stage to hold your attention - the cast always have a role to play as background characters.

The creativity is fresh, introducing circus to modern environments: A cafe set transforming into a balancing performance (below) and a multi-level juggling act were all highlights of the show. You’ll enjoy it, yes, and you’ll be in fear for the acrobats’ lives at points, but engagement isn’t its strength as the story focuses more on the message than the entertainment. It’s the edge-of-your-seat stuff you’d expect, with a few stops left in.

Acrobat creature in 7 Fingers' Psy

Review: 7 doigts de la main (The 7 Fingers) presents Psy

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