Billy Smart's Circus at Crystal Palace Park

11:18am Friday 4th May 2007

A swallow is sighted, a pair of flip flops slap their way into the office, a mob of sunburned families search in vain for the last disposable barbeque in Tesco's. Yes, summer is here. And another feature of the new season is just around the corner - the circus.

And what a cosmopolitan gang Billy Smart's Circus is; it's performers come from, among other places, Mexico, France, Kazakhstan, Russia, Italy, Mongolia. Oh, and an English bloke.

"We are all just one big family," says illusionist Ross Presto, who is appearing with his brood at Crystal Palace Park until Monday.

"We always find a common language as many people here speak two or three languages. So you get Dutch, Mexican and Polish people standing around talking Italian as that is the language they can all speak."

Ross details what physical and visual feats you can expect beneath the big top: "There is a flying trapeze act, jugglers, acrobatics, clowning, of course, illusionists - that's me - and there is some amazing aerial work as well."

To pick out the highlight acts from the dazzling array of talent is tricky, but The Flying Bull Dancers is a new trapeze act which has been flummoxing audiences across their homeland, America.

They pull off the innocent-sounding passing leap' - which, in fact, has two catchers and two flyers in the air at the same time, so the catcher throws and catches someone in the same movement.

Lead Bull Anton Von Ostendorf ups the ante further with a triple somersault, which Ross assures me is "something only a few people in the world can do". Watch through your fingers, folks.

Then there is the Yakubov troupe from Kazakhstan, who do spectacular things with 7.5ft tall poles. They effortlessly shimmy up and down in bizarre ways, such as by using just the shoulders, they leap from one to the other and grip on by the thighs, and that's just for starters. You'll never look at a lamp-post the same way again.

"It is stuff you can't see anywhere else," says Ross, "especially on TV, which is full of has-been celebrities and reality shows.

"It's something a family really can do altogether, not like dragging the kids to a restaurant or a show - everyone can enjoy it. In fact, you don't even need to bring the kids!"

Billy Smart's Circus; The Top Terrace, Crystal Palace Park; until Monday, May 7; children £10-£18, adults £12-£24, call 0870 444 1505, visit billy-smarts-circus.co.uk.