Anyone lamenting the loss of old-fashioned showmanship (of late not much in vogue) should check out The Great Moscow State Circus where traditional circus skills, OTT theatrical make-up and Lurex fishnets are not only alive and high-kicking but enjoying a renaissance.

Although the acts break no new ground as such, the sheer delight of the performers as they accomplish each feat makes them compelling to watch.

Cynics may dismiss variations on the "sawing a woman in half" trick as slightly passe but the elegance and drama of husband and wife team Khil & Spira make you want to believe in their magic.

The concentration of the acrobats from 11 Puzanov that erupts into triumphant smiles each time one of their intricate jumping and balancing feats comes good is highly infectious. The dizzying heights achieved by the bare-torsoed high trapeze troupe, 5 Flying Dzhusoev, that saw them bashing against the ceiling of the Big Top, may have made me feel slightly queasy at times but I still managed a fleeting daydream of one whisking me away on horseback to the Urals.

Despite our modern lives the romance of the circus, entrenched in the past, has stood the test of time. As with all good shows there's an element of camp and high drama - frankly I'd be disappointed if there wasn't - but what's apparent is these acrobats and performers work incredibly hard doing a job they obviously relish.

For that effort alone they deserve to be applauded.