Spanning the gamut of emotions from heart-stopping to heartfelt, “Sequence 8” is a performance phenomenon that leaves you engaged long after the curtain comes down.
Unlike the glitzy Cirque troupe that also hails from Montreal, Les 7 doigts de la main (translating to “the seven fingers of the hand”) puts on a jaw-dropping, spine-tingling show that tickles your funny bone and toys with your emotions in an intimacy that defies logistics. And they do it without special effects or a hint of sequins.
Eight brilliantly talented performers lampoon their own genre in a production that feels, at times, like a final rehearsal. Clad in workout/dance attire, the twisting, tumbling artists fly through the air executing seemingly impossible routines with the finesse of dancers and the athleticism of gymnasts.
What distinguishes their work from other art forms is its organic, sensual appeal to the humanity inside everyone. Their vulnerability is easy to identify with even if you’re not being vaulted in the air during a Russian bar routine. Equally appealing is the ease with which they laugh at one another, their work and themselves.
There’s an underlying Jungian-based theme of cause and effect in human relationships that’s fully exploited for an incredible teeter-totter routine, but you have to look more carefully for it. Or, you can simply enjoy the majestic display of the human form as it flies through the air, tumbles across the stage and floats above the set in incredible aerial artistry. Top it off with spoofs of late-night talk shows and inspirational best-sellers, juggling and audience interaction and you’ve got a fantastic show.
‘Sequence 8’
Through Sunday
Cutler Majestic Theatre
219 Tremont St., Boston
$25-$79, 617-824-8400
