Traces ***

From the city that brought us Cirque du Soleil comes a much more modest, but no less talented, group of circus artists called 7 Fingers, now appearing at the Union Square Theatre. Without costumes, makeup or fancy sets, the five men and a woman perform a series of breathtaking stunts that had the audience gasping. Jumping through hoops or riding skateboards may not sound very exciting, but it is when they do it. The brief introduction of each performer and the size of the theater help create an intimate atmosphere. The attempt at a unifying theme fell flat, but that's a minor quibble. I do wish they had left out the occasional overpowering blast of music and the seemingly obligatory strobe lights. Instead of 7 performers and 90 minutes, there were only 6 performers and 75 minutes. I do hope the adjustment was not due to injury. The theater was far from full, which is quite surprising considering the critics' unanimously favorable reviews. Note: There are rush seats at $25 available two hours before each performance.