Circus really ought to be in a tent – and a tent as spectacular as Cirque du Soleil’s Grand Chapiteau is as good as it gets.

Glistening white outside, midnight blue inside, with a huge stage and a wonderful, intimate atmosphere.

So, the venue itself is the best possible start – and the show this time around is one new to Manchester, from the artistic team responsible for creating some of Cirque’s Las Vegas spectaculars.

I haven’t been enthralled by Cirque shows recently – there’s been far too much time-wasting flimflam and the blurb for Varekai – ‘wherever’, in Romany – doesn’t bode well: “On this day at the edge of time in this place of all possibilities begins an inspired incantation to life rediscovered.” Oh yeah?

But ignore the blurb and sit back and marvel, for this is Cirque at its very best and that means this is probably the very best circus you will ever see.

An Icarus character drops from the sky in the form of aerialist Mark Halasi, who sets the tone with an exciting act involving twisting around in a large hammock up in the roof of the tent. Below, performers in a riot of carnival-style costumes form a constant background to a generous series of amazing feats.

Three tiny Chinese boys twirl heavy metal bowls on the ends of ropes around their heads and propel them 50ft in the air.

Juggler Octavio Alegria employs Indian clubs and Panama hats, while multi-jointed Irina Naumenko balances atop a cane with her feet wrapped behind her ears and identical twin strap-hangers Andrew and Kevin Atherton from Wigan swoop through the air with the greatest of ease.

Most impressive, however, is the Russian Swings that end the show, with acrobats hurtling across the stage between a pair of revolving swingboats and then managing to land on the waiting hands of their partners.

Truly amazing and probably the best circus act I’ve ever seen.

All of this is performed in an atmosphere of part carnival, part prehistoric rainforest.

The syrupy score, played live, is an amalgam of middle-of-the-road easy listening from Eurovision to great classical choral blasts and isn’t the show’s strongest element.

But there’s more than enough to astonish here, it’s a great, great show. Tickets are not cheap but whatever you end up paying, I can’t see anyone thinking they’ve been short changed.