The title refers to the Malcolm Gladwell’s assertion in his book Outliers, that approximately 10,000 hours of deliberate practice are required to achieve mastery or world-class expertise in a particular field. In the case of House of Oz-promoted troupe Gravity and Other Myths in The Assembly Hall, that mastery has been rewarded by their efforts, because whether you like this sort of circus-like gymnastic performance or not, they have unquestionably put those hours in to effect.

It’s a clever construct. Nine ripped gymnasts take to the stage to warm up as the audience laboriously fills the sub-optimal Assembly Hall (those damned pillars) and eventually the show begins to the beat of the ring-master, an accomplished drummer who quickly adds keys to his repertoire and we are off.

A large neon digital display on the back cloth counts the time of action in the first piece and we look set for a distracting hour counting down before us but this device is only used in the first ‘number’ and has various other uses as the show develops.

It’s a mixed bag. Two interludes distract a little. Firstly an audience member plays a form of Pictionary with the crew, and second the drummer plays an extended drum solo (with great dexterity – like his compadres on stage), both feel like rest breaks because what the gymnasts are doing on stage is breathtaking and gut-wrenchingly exhausting.

At times it’s also very beautiful because the acrobatics weave in and out of dance-inspired choreographed movement. Indeed many of the stunts themselves are choreographed to great effect.  It makes you wonder how do they cope with injuries (must be a subs bench, surely?).

The crew are a real band of brothers and sisters, often cheering each other on, but it’s during the highly focused set pieces that the place really comes alive. towering (and deliberately toppling) human constructions are mind-boggling in their dexterity and managed risk. Bodies are thrown, catapulted and rolled right, left and centre to a pulsing and driving drum and electro soundbed adding to the urgent and deliciously dangerous tone.

It’s a beautiful sight when Gravity and Other Myths are in full flow and the name perfectly articulates the essence of this universally appealing show.

‘Ten Thousand Hours‘ has finished its Fringe run