It’s rather a nice start to an evening to be sitting an arm’s length from a ripped, half dressed acrobat balancing one-handed on a wobbling pole.

Head First, the uber fit three-man circus from Australia first brought their exuberant display of acrobatics and physical comedy to the Fringe last year, to great acclaim.

They’re back with a new cast member joining straight man Cal and class clown Rowen, to revisit their scientific experiment/zombie apocalypse storyline, Elixir in The Spiegeltent over the next few nights, and deserve to play to a full house each night.

The lads pack a lot into an hour with a selection of floor-based acrobatics, trapeze, some breathtaking ‘ladder dancing’ and see-saw work, all the while keeping up their fast-paced form of slapstick.

Audience involvement from the beginning means a couple of good sports in the front row get to see certain cast members up close, and the comedy aspect so central to the show works because of the players’ obvious charisma (and extreme cuteness).

The highlight of the show for me was the elegant and mesmerising roue cyr wheel, but there is something here for everyone. Fans of raw, up close circus will appreciate the pure strength and agility on display, and the troupe are also performing a show for children, ‘Arr We There Yet?’ which on the evidence of this always engaging, often hilarious performance should be excellent as well.