THE opening stunt where performer Emma Serjeant balances on a carton of eggs underlines the careful precision, attention to detail and minimalist aesthetic at the centre of Knee Deep.

The debut hour-long show by Casus encapsulates what modern circus performance is about – no gaudy costumes, no fanfare, just jaw-dropping physical feats performed seemingly effortlessly.

All four performers interact as one, with no distinction between male and female or large and small – each achieving amazing feats of strength, balance and power, frequently using little more than their muscles and the counterweight and trust of their fellows, or occasionally taking to the air on a trapeze or silks.

With no dialogue, the action is soundtracked by a contemporary score, drawing on Gil Scott Heron, Mum, Aphex Twin and Max Richter, which creates an atmosphere but doesn’t detract from the truly amazing sights.

Brief moments of respite come from each performer’s party piece, including miniature origami and a Circus Of Horrors-style trick involving a hammer, a nail and a soft piece of skin.

But the heart of the show is the four performers’ interactions as they balance, climb and lift each other in ever more impossible combinations, earning their climactic standing ovation.