A quick word with Les 7 doigts de la main

Les 7 doigts de la main have created a madcap multimedia show.

Les 7 doigts de la main (The 7 Digits of the Hand) is the French-Canadian circus performing at AK05. The former Cirque du Soleil performers have created a madcap multimedia show combining acrobatics, dance and hip-hop. TimeOut spoke to two of the seven members - Faon, who likes hanging by chains from the ceiling, and DJ Pocket, a former mime artist and break-dancer who provides the beats to their 1 hour and 20 minutes of chaos.

The brochure says you're roommates confined to one space. What exactly do you do?

DJ Pocket: There's no clear and normal story. But it's like we're living together, and if you talked about what we did last night we'd have three different stories. It's not a reality show but an over-reality show - we're quite unbelievable in what we're doing.

How is it different to other circus acts?

DJ P: Instead of one number followed by another, all the artists are on stage during the whole show.

Faon: Usually when the public is looking at you there's a wall, it's distant. And they're like, omigod, it's so surreal, I wish I could be like that. We wanted to say, hey, we're exactly like you and you can do that as well. We're the same. We're smoking, we're having a beer after the show, we'll talk with you guys, we'll sit in the audience. We have a very close interaction.

Does that mean you drag poor, innocent people on stage and strap them into a trapeze?

DJ P: No, we don't take someone and make jokes about them, nothing like that. We're respectful. It's like when you're at a Christmas party and you don't know what to do so you make fun of kids - I don't like that either.

How much danger is involved?

F: The chains are dangerous but [she points to her black eye] what I got is because I'm working on something new. I don't want people to think that I'm a sado-maso whatever.

But there's an element of that in the show, isn't there?

DJ P: She's really sweet, she's like an angel. But she's got chains. We like to make contrasts like that. We go from a street-clown performer to contemporary dance to hip-hop to pop music. I work the soundtrack like it's for a movie. If the ambience changes I have to find something that fits with that.

Why did you break away from Cirque du Soleil?

F: We wanted to create a small company of our own that was more intimate and theatrical. And after 20 years with them I was ready to say my own things. But we're not in competition. My father and mother still work there. In circus, it's like a family. You never pay a ticket when you go to see a circus show, even if you're part of another circus.

* See them from March 8-12, 8pm; Sunday March 13, 6pm at the ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre. Bookings at Ticketek: (09) 307 5000