Theatre Reviews

Your eyes will be on stalks during this incredible take on modern circus from The Seven Fingers, a young French-Canadian troupe.

The five unbelievably talented dancers play out their superhuman feats against an endlessly ticking clock with a 90 minute countdown leading to an unknown fate - is the world about to end?

You will be treated to a seamless array of traditional circus moves - a Chinese pole routine set to Radiohead's 'Talk Show Host' will send shivers up your spine - a skateboarding dance routine will make you laugh, a hoop sequence will leave you scratching your head - how on earth can they jump that high?

But this lot can do anything. They back flip  with a basketball, sing and play the piano and tell us about themselves - if they started to fly you wouldn't be surprised.

This is miles apart from the traditional Big Top Tent, but is also universally appealing - just like the old touring circus.

Their agility, endurance and grace will leave you amazed. Their uplifting energy is contagious and you will want to leap up there with them.

This show was a booming hit at Edinburgh, and judging from the extending standing ovation on its first night in Dublin - this will be one of the bright lights of the festival.

The show asks us to examine the traces that we leave on this earth - how do we affect other people, how do other people affect us, what will our traces be?

What would you do if you have ninety minutes to live?

Well this lot certainly leave their trace; if you get the chance, go and see this fascinating show. You won't regret it.

Mary McCarthy