As the troupe comes to life from their seemingly relaxed, supine state, there’s a feeling of anticipation that starts to heighten as costumes are assembled. There are poles, a swimmer’s cap, heavy rocks, and a fantastically incongruous item: a suit of armour. The performers chatter and quietly cue each other as the circus staple, the lift, is repeated by duos across the stage, like so many meerkats vying for attention.

Amidst buckets and sand pouring, Backbone continues to build through feats of seemingly impossible physical extremes, but with mutability that relieves us of the predictable and somewhat manipulative “ta da” moments of a tired circus.

Jascha Boyce astounds with suit and rock, atop an equally impressive team of lifters. She has the best poker face going, but south of her head, there is not a skerrick of support. Our jaws drop. Meike Lizotte effortlessly portrays an inverse marionette, on terrifyingly high diminishing poles, until she appears to have been singularly speared. It is mind-boggling. Stand-alone stunts these are not; the entire show is this good.

The troupe tumble, somersault and fly through the air, with flagrant disregard for the laws of gravity. The imperative physical timing is impeccable, much to our relief....