Close Up

Beads of sweat. Fierce concentration. The tremble of taut muscles. The prospect of a slip-up when mistakes rarely have minor consequences. Circus is a high-wire act in every way, its spectacle founded on years of training and fuelled by love. And it's this that Australian circus supremos Circa are tackling in this show, offering us a peek behind Oz's curtain.

Ironically, it takes a while for Close Up, company-created and directed by Yaron Lifschitz, to find its footing. At the start, its blend of live performance and pre-recorded film projected onto a screen at the back of the Udderbelly veers dangerously close to a Calvin Klein ad in tone – slow-mo black-and-white acrobatics accompanied by a voiceover about "connecting".

Much better is the footage of skin rippling under impact, beautifully illuminating the physiology of circus feats. But the production really takes wing when the more pretentious stuff drops away and the ensemble show us why they love what they do, and the discipline behind looking effortless. Chinese pole artist Todd Kilby is great when he talks of the combination of adrenaline, pain and excitement underlying what he then demonstrates for us – to wow-worthy effect.

It's this bubbling enthusiasm that makes Close Up soar. Lisa Goldsworthy's hula-hooping is spectacular, but so is the playfulness and sheer energy of the others as they encourage her on. Circa's latest show combines the buzz of impressive acts with the camaraderie of performers pushing themselves (and each other) further. Their joy makes it sing.