This is a show quite unlike any other: a blending of martial arts and showbiz to demonstrate the amazing feats of strength and mind-over-matter of which the human body is capable.

This is the first UK tour by the internationally acclaimed Shaolin Warriors, Kung Fu masters from China.

The choreography is sometimes spectacular, sometimes a little mundane and repetitive, but the skill of the 22 highly-trained participants is extraordinary as they demonstrate disciplines such as qigong, animal imitation boxing, drunken boxing and mock combat with traditional weapons.

Not to mention witnessing a man balanced by his comrades on the points of four spears or being rammed in the midriff with a telegraph pole wielded by six others.

Another lies on a bed of scimitar blades with a bed of nails on his stomach while a second warrior lies on top of that to have a marble slab on his stomach smashed with a sledgehammer. How do they think these things up?

There are light-hearted interludes when volunteers are invited on stage to get involved and the 30 or so youngsters who did a bit of Kung Fu training appeared to love it.

In fact Kung Fu looks to be such a positive way of channelling and harmlessly unleashing aggression that I think someone should start classes in schools and for grumpy old women. I'd enrol!

The music is mesmerising but the brochure's promise of "gorgeous scenery" and "hundreds of costumes" is an exaggeration. The scenery is just a temple backcloth and the costumes are mostly fluorescent orange Buddhist monk type outfits, which look good when the stage is darkened.

The show was subtitled Seasons of Life, though as there was no narration I had no idea which season was which.

But these are minor moans as this was a very different and mostly very entertaining show with the downside of making you go home feeling very unfit!

Diana Eccleston

4 stars