Boxe Boxe (Tour – The Lyric, Plymouth)

Fabulous fisticuffs.

Truly fast and furious, France’s Compagnie Käfig’s touring Boxe Boxe is a breath-taking 65 minute meld of boxing, street dance and classical music.

Choreographer Mourad Merzouki had childhood training in circus skills, martial arts and boxing before being introduced to hip hop which led to his career in dance. And here he fuses elements of the noble art with body-popping, and punch bags with graceful slides.

Vibrant and dynamic, eight superb young dancers fill the stage with glossy boxing glove puppets, high kicks, robotics, ethereal slo-mo, head spins and knock-out punches while gliding around them is The Varese String Quartet adroitly managing to bow beautifully while moving in synchronized formation on elaborate wrought iron wheelie chairs.

From Schubert to Glenn Miller, Glass to Mendelssohn – and more – there’s not a "modern" riff or rap to be heard, yet it works wonderfully.

Adrenaline-fuelled they may be, but the energy of these youngsters is tremendous right to the stunning solo finales.

I could have watched it all over again after a quick G&T, but instead I texted all and sundry urging them to catch this quick.

– Karen Bussell