Luminous is the only show of its kind in the world. It is a clever combination of circus, UV light and live body painting by the 2011 Australian body painting champion, Jessica Watson Miller. The combination is breathtaking.

The performers are multi-talented and undoubtedly enthusiastic in their roles as luminous ‘creatures.’ Even without the added attraction of luminescence and UV light, the performers’ acrobatic and circus skills would have made an excellent performance.

Unfortunately there were a few slip ups. Hoops and balls were lost, some landings were heavy and at one point, one acrobat failed to find a foothold on another. In the dark and with forty degree heat however, it’s not surprising. Sadly, the heat distracted the audience from much of the show’s brilliance.

The show has too much happening at once, making it difficult for the audience to focus. While one person is on stage juggling several balls, another person might be on the trapeze or playing on some aerial silk. At one point a female performer is on stage demonstrating her flexibility with contortionist tricks while another person is painted on stage. It was difficult to know what to watch, making it tricky for the performance to completely engross the audience.

The most captivating aspect of the show is the aerial silks as they introduced an air of danger as the acrobats twist among the ribbons. The trapeze acts are also very exciting to see. The audience loved the air of danger and were captivated by the aerial performances.

For the creatively minded, this is an excellent and inspiring show to see, both for the beauty of the aerial acts and the breathtaking effect of UV light and neon paint. Walking in is like entering another world—a very Alice in Wonderland world where it would be unsurprising to see a hookah smoking caterpillar. It is recommended to go at night, when it is cooler and body paint is less likely to wear off during the performance.