An annual celebration of physical and aerial theatre organised by Birmingham-based RoguePlay, Tilt Festival features a host of events including classes and performances. And this Pro Night gave the audience a chance to see work of many forms.

Taking place at RoguePlay’s base, West Midlands Circus Centre at Friends Meeting House in Edgbaston, the evening is a chance to really get up close to physical theatre – at times the performers are literally a foot or so away.

The programme was bookended by two productions being created by RoguePlay – the first a piece by company director Kim Wildborne together with performer Fleur Hall, and the second a work devised by students who attend classes at the centre.

Halfway Between The Sea is an expressive exploration of the pollution in our oceans with physical theatre both on the ground and using hoops and silks. The work very visually shows us the damage to our seas with ropes and nets laden with plastic. The piece reaches its finale with Kim climbing laboriously up blue silks laden down with netting filled with rubbish before the tide of plastic overcomes both performers.

At the close of the evening, Time by RoguePlay Pro Company saw four young performers creating a mosaic of chalk words on the ground before taking to the heights. Again there is a nautical theme as one performer chants an eerie piece of verse in which the sea is deep, powerful and potentially dangerous.

Kim explained that both of these pieces were being performed in front of an audience for the first time and were works in progress. Both are packed with ideas as well as some impressive balances both on the ground and in the air and it will be interesting to see their future iterations.

In-between were five short shows largely from performers from across the globe who are running classes during the Tilt Festival.

Ben Levi introduced a touch of humour as he gradually stripped off his jacket, tie and shirt while also performing some hugely dramatic spins and turns on the straps. Felix Fogg also brought personality to his work on the Chinese pole. Coming on stage talking into a mobile phone and promising he would be ‘there’ in a minute he was then distracted by spotting the pole. After a set in which he made hanging above our heads by one arm or one leg look like the simplest thing on earth, he then returned to the conversation.

Hanne Coeck gave a beautiful performance on the silks, with some remarkable mid-air splits and rolls. And Katerina Ana’s work on straps was both meditative and gentle while also being incredibly intricate and technically versatile.

Nuss Nuss by Fleur Hall and George Perez was a floor-based dance and physical theatre work which saw some ambitious balances and acrobatics.

The Pro Night hits all the buttons – for people who have seen plenty of physical and aerial theatre it is a chance to see some world-class work up close and for people new to the art form it’s a great introduction.

Tilt Festival continues on Saturday 27 July with a family day and student showcase. For information on next year’s events see tiltfestival.com

Four stars. By Diane Parkes