The New Wolsey’s 2015 Pulse Festival got off to a flying start with Bromance - a startling, at times jaw-dropping, display of dance-theatre and circus skills.

Staged by Barely Methodical Troupe, Bromance was both a spectacular and humorous look at the world of male bonding, It was presented as a subtle game of oneupmanship and dominance between three friends. It was staged as if the performers, Berren D’Amico, Louis Gift and Charlie Wheeller, were three mates hanging out at the local recreation ground.

The performance starts off with that simple masculine greeting the handshake - which turns out to be something of a minefield. Is your handshake too strong or too limp? Is better to hug? But that can lead to all sorts of personal space issues.

As they show-off and try and outdo one another - whether it is simple whistling or spectacular back-flip somersalts - one person is inevtiably left out of the cool group as they can’t do it.

However, we get to see that the outcast can always do something and they come back with something even more startling - including routines with incredibly agile leaps, tumbles and gymnastic tricks and Charlie Wheeller’s astonishing spinning display inside a metal hoop.

The level of trust, skill and precision this performance required was breathtaking and deservedly kick-started Pulse with a standing ovation.