There’s a theory, popularised by Malcolm Gladwell, that 10,000 hours of practice is required to achieve world-class expertise. It comes to life in this show by one of Australia’s leading contemporary circus troupes, which was a hit at the recent Edinburgh and Adelaide Fringe festivals.

Directed by Lachlan Binns, Ten Thousand Hours is an exciting and playful representation of the Gravity & Other Myths rehearsal process, squeezed into one hour.

Gravity & Other Myths – Ten Thousand Hours. Photo © Andy Phillipson

It gathers eight circus performers dressed as if for training or rehearsal, though there’s a subtle unity and smartness about Olivia Zanchetta’s grey and muted blue costumes. Set and lighting by Chris Petredis sees them in a stylised, slightly moody take on their studio space.

There’s a bench seat, a few of those wheeled black-and-steel storage cases often found backstage, and a big digital clock upstage. Sometimes it’s just that, but this LED lighting element also keeps score during the show’s games and challenges, or is an abstract design.

All eyes are on the gravity-defying performers, however. They begin by simply...