Any hopes of impressing my plus-one with VIP tickets to Saturday night's Cirque du Vulgar in Falmouth were quickly dashed when a portly, flamboyant man scantily clad in glittery garb dragged me across the stage and led me to a seat at the back of a table, loudly proclaiming: "I knew you preferred it in the rear!"

Hoping this would be the last public humiliation of the night, my worries were soon replaced by a very different kind as the first acrobatic act took to the ropes and swung high over the audience's heads, evoking gasps by feigning to lose her grip only to catch hold again at the last second, eventually finishing up the display by screaming along to heavy metal blasting out of the speakers.

This was a pretty clear sign of things to come – don't expect elegance if you're thinking about going along to Cirque du Vulgar. The show is chaotic, silly, and rude, but most of all awe-inspiring because of the raw talent and enthusiasm of the performers – it's definitely not one for the faint of heart (or under-18s for that matter), but the risque circus' ability to wow a crowd is perhaps unlike any other.

By the end, the big top at Falmouth Rugby Club was alive with roars demanding an encore, with some people completely floored by the whole thing, others wondering what exactly it was they had just witnessed, and one or two just glad that everyone made it out alive.

Without giving too much away: expect some hilariously adult audience interaction to intersperse breathtaking acrobatic stunts, choreographed dance numbers and a few naughty skits.

An inhumanly flexible pole dancer will baffle you with her skill and strength, a fire-breather will singe your eyebrows if you sit too close, and a strongman and aerial performers will make you feel bad for skipping that last workout.

The finale, a ridiculously impressive spinning wheel manned by two somersaulting chaps in skirts brought down the house and capped off an incredible night.

If you missed the event in Falmouth over the weekend, you can still catch Cirque du Vulgar in Pool on September 22, Bude on September 29, and Bideford on October 6.

For more information visit the Cirque du Vulgar Facebook page.