The Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF) invites The 7 Fingers (Les 7 Doigts) to Sha Tin Town Hall for three performances of Duel Reality from March 20 to 22. A bold and electrifying fusion of contemporary circus and theatre, the family-friendly show re-imagines Romeo and Juliet through acrobatics, turning love and rivalry into a high-octane spectacle. Diabolo, juggling, Chinese poles, teeterboards, hula hoops, and expressive body language tell the story with no need for words.
Running from February 27 to March 30, the 54th Hong Kong Arts Festival features more than 1,100 outstanding international and local artists across over 180 performances.
Quebec Circus The 7 Fingers Returns to HKAF
Based in Quebec, Canada, The 7 Fingers (Les 7 Doigts) is a collective of world-class circus artists, including Shana Carroll, the director of Duel Reality. Since their first production in 2002, the troupe has sought to reveal performers as they are, not as characters in a fantastic realm, but as real individuals with hopes and anxieties.
After their HKAF appearance in 2018 with Bosch Dreams, a collaboration with Denmark’s Theatre Republique, they now return with a bold retelling of Shakespeare. A Meet-the-Artist session will be held after their performance on March 21.
Romeo and Juliet Reimagined Through Acrobatics
Inspired by Romeo and Juliet, Duel Reality plays like a poetic battle of hearts: red versus blue, rival teams, and family feuds turned into physical competition. Originally produced and created with Virgin Voyages, the production is directed by Shana Carroll, who weaves the conflict between the rival houses of Montague and Capulet into choreography featuring hula-hooping, juggling, breathtaking flips, and daring aerial stunts.
Beyond its simple premise of “sworn enemies as sporting competitors,” Carroll shared a universal message at the heart of Duel Reality in an interview with Seattle Rep: “Unfortunately, warring tribes in whatever form they take will never fade in relevance,” but “these two young romantics see past their families… and we know love is what curbs our worst urges and gives us hope for the future”.
For more HKAF highlights, also see the HK Phil concert with Grammy-nominated organist Cameron Carpenter and Hong Kong-born pianist Chiyan Wong, plus Italy’s ballet star Roberto Bolle in a two-act dance production honouring the Baroque painter Caravaggio.
Tickets are now available via URBTIX.
| Event: | The 7 Fingers — Duel Reality |
| When: | March 20-22, 2026(Approximately 1 hr 10 mins with no interval) |
| Where: | Auditorium, Sha Tin Town Hall, Sha Tin |
| Tickets: | HK$180, HK$280, HK$380, HK$480. Student discount available. Tickets available now via URBTIX |
| Website: | https://visit.hkaf.org/u27o2o |
Image credits: Hong Kong Arts Festival, Emmanuel Burriel, Jean François Savaria, Thomas Robert Clarke, Ekopics, Sébastien Lozé