If you thought the women of Virago Circus would take it easy because they’d already sold out their season of Flight before their first show, you’d be wrong. The combination of aerial skills and circus floor routines must be both mentally and physically taxing, but they do it all so effortlessly that you can’t help but admire the way they go about their craft. With the 2023 version of Flight, held at Pirate Life Port Adelaide, Virago Circus even brought in some new acts in order to keep the show fresh as well as bring a new dynamic to their performances.

I love the pairing of a different Pirate Life Beer with each routine, and even though MC Henry Doyle may have really stretched to make a beer fit into what was happening on the stage, he made it fun enough that you were entertained throughout the show. First up was one of my favourite Fringe performers (who I recently saw in enSomnia), Steph. Performing an aerial pole routine that oozed strength and grace, she always leaves me in awe at how easy it all looks. Eliza was out next with an amazing hand-balancing display. And, although the crowd was a little flat during this showing, I couldn’t help but marvel at the power this woman had. From the floor, we went back to the ceiling as the queen of the silks arrived to take our collective breaths away. Nicole is synonymous with the silks and I’m always left biting my nails when I see her winding her way up to the Pirate Life ceiling. Every move she makes is so smooth and graceful that it’s like watching a daredevil ballerina in action.

After a brief intermission, which included Pirate Life icy poles (a bad idea if you’re trying to take pics and footage for a review), we were back into the thick of the Flight action with another newbie to the Virago team. Alannah got the crowd up and about with a whirling, twirling display of hula hooping. I struggle to deal with one hula hoop but this lady managed to work with six of them on her arms, hips and legs. The fifth act of the afternoon was probably my favourite, as Alexa and Kat performed a dual aerial hoop routine which left us all speechless. The symmetry and synchronicity of both these artists in action was a sight to behold. This show had so much pleasure that it was bound to finish with a bit of pain as Rachel closed out Flight with a bruising aerial chain performance. I don’t know if it was the clinking of the chain links, or Rachel hanging from this 28-kilogram apparatus, but I was left grimacing throughout her routine. This woman deserved a medal and an ice bath after that showing.

Virago Circus show that they are not resting on their laurels, as each year they’re bringing something a little different to each show. Always creative and always outstanding they’re a troupe who constantly strive for greatness in their art and it shows in their performances.

FOUR AND A HALF STARS ****1/2