For most shows, a theater critic can just sit down and describe what was seen, because there’s a “normal” way theater is written.
Not so with the acrobatic circus performers known as “The 7 Fingers,” working their wild and crazy, often scary and utterly fascinating magic in a show called “Duel Reality” through Aug. 4 at The Old Globe Theatre.
This company from Montreal was here last year in a much tamer show called “Passengers,” about going somewhere.
When you enter the theater today, you are given a piece of fabric that is either red or blue, depending on which group you are to root for (that’s the “duel” part).
“Duel Reality” isn’t just a cute little story. It’s based on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” and Director Shana Carroll tells the familiar story of two bitterly feuding families as something like a sporting event, with 12 acrobats jumping, leaping and flying around, illustrating the story in non-stop feats that frequently had me gasping for breath.
Through it all, our Romeo (Gerardo Gutiérrez) and Juliet (Michelle Hernandez) work on their relationship (which happens to extend to offstage time), trying to survive the ugliness surrounding them. They were lucky enough to have played the lovers in the original cruise show version as well.
Runtime for the Old Globe show is 75 minutes, with no intermission. It will fly by (in more ways than one). Don’t miss it.
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