A thrilling tightrope walk of a show – tense yet cathartic, angry yet thoughtful.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of people must set out to create a show with the intention of treading that fine line between humour, pain, anger, love, hurt, resentment, pathos, hubris, dedication, obsession, conflict and reconciliation. Very few manage to find the perfect balance, and when you’re lucky enough to stumble upon such a show – in an old veterinary school building, say – it really is a privilege.

And so, to Palmyra – a two-man tightrope walk of revenge and destruction which incorporates balletic movement, arresting imagery and powerful emotion along the way. An exploration of the politics of destruction and barbarism, Palmyra is also about everyday rivalry, wilful destruction and the eruption of pent-up aggression. It is at times funny, at times deeply moving, and at time frightening.

Bertrand Lesca & Nasi Voutsas are mesmerising, alternating between friendly warmth, paranoid angst and barely controlled rage. 55 minutes minutes in their company passes in a flash, and the imagery of Palmyra sticks in the mind for days after. A five star triumph.