The Chinese State Circus should carry a warning - don't try this at home.

Heart-stopping feats, split-second timing and sheer brute strength produce a breathtaking show.

Just when you think the performers cannot do any more, they push the boundaries further, leaving the audience open-mouthed with awe.

The Chinese have been honing their circus skills for 2,000 years. They are experts in tumbling, spinning and juggling, dragon dancing, hoop-diving and plate-spinning.

But now they have also introduced kung-fu fighting and a good deal of derring-do to the circus ring.

They defy gravity and challenge the capabilities of the human body.

As if it were not enough to balance one-legged on a unicyle and throw bowls on to your head with the other foot, one woman performer then repeated the performance atop a giant rubber ball. It was seemingly impossible - but she did it.

Members of the audience held their breath when one man piled four bricks on to his head to be smashed to pieces by a colleague wielding a sledgehammer. The combination of raw physical power and steely mental strength is inspiring.

No-one could fail to be impressed by the stack of chairs - six female acrobats who pile a table and nine chairs precariously on top of each other and then form a towering wall of handstands reaching 25ft into the air.

There are some lovely touches. Twins Ding and Ning Gao dazzle the audience with their diablos - try and spot the difference between the identical sisters.

Children were in awe of the female contortionist who bent gracefully backwards in a way that most people have difficulty in bending forwards. She rounded off her act with her elbows and feet on the floor and her knees next to her ears.

There was even a touch of international clowning. Two chefs carried off a comedy plate-spinning routine.

The big top was less than one third full for the early show on opening night which meant it lacked atmosphere. And the set was decidedly understated - just four giant lanterns and the occasional burst of dry ice. But the skill and strength of the troupe is undeniably impressive.

For tickets, call 07030 190190.

Promoted by the European Entertainment Corporation.