NICA to Present 7 as Part of Melbourne Fringe Festival, Begin. 24 September

The National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA) will present 7, a gripping triple bill performed by its second year students. The show will be part of the 2014 Melbourne Fringe Festival from September 24 to 27 and October 1 to 4 at the custom built National Circus Centre in Prahran.

The directors have crafted three individual narratives around the theme of 7. Each will explore a distinct aspect of today's society. Become lost and found in a wasteland; feel more connected but ever disconnected in the age of the internet; and question that life is never simple, unless you live alone...

Apartment 7 - Directed by Meredith Kitchen and Aaron Walker Welcome to the chaos of a share house, where personal space doesn't exist, boundaries are overstepped daily, cohabitants become unlikely friends or annoying foes, simple things become overcomplicated and we all wish we had chosen the studio apartment with a cat.

On the 7th Day - Directed by Martine Howard and Tarn Scully Set in a post-apocalyptic world, a group of strangers are thrown together in an air raid shelter; the time and place are unknown. Some are clinging on, others are losing the plot, most are just

desperate to find a way to escape. Innovative visual imagery collides with circus to create a show where all is not quite as it seems.

#ashtag7 - Directed by Dan Power
Enter the world you are already in, the world of touch screens, keyboards and smiley faces. In #ashtag7 the pandemonium of automation and computerisation are brought starkly to our attention; uncover how an overwhelming connection with technology can sometimes mean a disconnection with each other.

Audiences will be able to witness high level circus skills including High Wire, Slack Wire, Dance Trapeze, Cloudswing, Aerial Ring and Tissu.

NICA is Australia's Centre of Excellence for training in contemporary circus arts. It is one of eight national arts training institutes and offers Australia's only Bachelor of Circus Arts. Graduates of NICA have gone on to pursue exciting careers both locally and internationally and have contributed to the development of Melbourne's vibrant circus arts industry. The course is accredited by Swinburne University of Technology and attracts applicants from around the world. www.nica.com.au