Physical experimentation, play and daring are at the heart of circus. Bodies Over Bitumen delivers this spirit with incredible acrobatics on the streets of North Melbourne. There are some inherent problems in performing circus in busy public areas using unreliable apparatus, but overall this is a bold work with some memorable moments.

The audience is first corralled in an area behind the North Melbourne Town Hall before being guided by the artists through nearby streets, with short performances taking place on footpaths, alleyways and other open spaces along the way. It is important to note that there is no opportunity to sit down during during the hour-long performance, and the route includes some darkened areas with uneven surfaces that may be difficult to navigate for some patrons.

The concept for the piece grew from performer Skye Gellmann’s experiences living outdoors by choice for two years. Watching the performers interact with the urban environment is quite visceral, everyone involved is experiencing the same biting cold, roaring of traffic and passing smells of restaurants and grass, which heightens the connection between the performers and audience.

A tissu routine performed by Naomi Frances uses this connection well to highlight ideas of the visibility and vulnerability of women on the streets. Hanging from a tree on a traffic island, she performs with cars and trucks rushing either side and with the curious passers-by stopping to stare.

A third performer, Alexander Gellmann, manages to pull off a series of impressive feats on a bike and rolla bolla despite the limitation of having his arm in a sling.

Although the pared-back, gritty nature of the show is in a sense liberating as it rejects the convention and embellishment of commercial circus, it also restricts the performers in other ways. They use infrastructure of the streets as circus equipment, including rocks as juggling balls and metal barriers to support slackwire. This is aesthetically interesting, but the roughness and unreliability means that tricks sometimes fall flat or are less impressive than they might have been with standard equipment. This is disappointing as it clear that the performers are capable of so much more using standardised apparatus in a controlled environment.

There are also a lot of outside factors that disrupt the performance and atmosphere. At times the performers and audience stand in alleyways with parked cars and things get a bit awkward when people approach the audience to ask if they can drive through the performance space. The usher does a good job of managing these issues, but it’s still quite confusing for the audience when the general public enter the experience.

Skye Gellmann’s Chinese pole routine on a street sign is definitely the highlight of the piece, showcasing his remarkable strength, artistry and sense of ease outdoors. His tolerance of the cold and pain inflicted by the asphalt and metal is striking, and a reminder that pushing bodies past their comfort zones is intrinsic to circus.

Bodies Over Bitumen would have a stronger impact in a quieter location and with a smaller audience. The tone is clearly meant to be serious and engrossing but it can’t quite achieve this with all the interruptions. However, it is a great concept delivered by skilled, mature artists, and it takes circus in some interesting directions.

Bodies Over Bitumen is on at the Fringe Hub, 521 Queensberry St North Melbourne until 3 October. Performances are 5:30pm Sundays and 6:30pm all other nights. Book tickets at melbournefringe.com.au or call (03) 9660 9666.