In Irvine, ‘PSY' puts circus performers right in your lap
Quebec group combines comedy, story and circus skills in daring, amusing show.
Familiar and traditional routines such as the wheel are part of "PSY," a show produced by and featuring members of Quebec's Les 7 doigts de la main. It plays at the Irvince Barclay Theatre through Sunday.
By PAUL HODGINS / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
May 11, 2012
Think of the Quebec-based performance group Les 7 Doigts de la Main as a pocket-size, stripped-down version of Cirque du Soleil meant for a small venue – Cirque unplugged.
And think of "PSY," which opened Thursday at the Irvine Barclay Theatre for a short run, as a condensed Cirque du Soleil show with a brain. The clowning, acrobats, acting and dancing are all performed by the same people – no single-skill stars here – and unlike Cirque du Soleil's meandering, disappearing show plots, the story imbues every aspect of this show.
Ironically, for all its physicality and daring, "PSY" is about human weaknesses – the mental and emotional kind. Its 11 performers (eight men and three women) each play a character with an issue: fear of heights, insomnia, hypochondria, and so on. In a series of sometimes astoundingly athletic routines, they conquer their weaknesses.
But like a Cirque du Soleil show, the story ultimately doesn't matter that much. It provides set-ups for certain absurd situations and motivations for characters, but it's soon clear this is a demonstration of various circus tricks, expertly executed by the young performers.
Still, those characters are endearing, and their problems get them into some daunting situations.
Tiny Catherine Girard plays a woman with a serious sleep disorder. She carries a pillow around with her and naps in the craziest places. Her routine culminates on a pole, where she manages to nod off, pillow tucked under her head, in precarious and gravity-defying poses high in the air.
read more:
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/performers-353736-cirque-psy.html
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