IT is the always the subtlest of things that tell you if kids have truly enjoyed themselves.

Dylan, my nine-year-old, leant over as Alex the Fireman was tidying up after his acrobatic performance on Thursday and gave him a thumbs up.

Alex, who careers and clowns around and through a swinging ladder beneath a fire for his act, seemed genuinely happy at the small acknowledgement and was grateful in return.

Billy Smart's Circus is in Oxford this week through to Sunday and its show is a slick 90-minute performance under the Big Top at Oxpens.

The focus is almost entirely on jugglers acrobats, from Romania's The Cretzu Troupe on their springboards through to the Australian trapese team The Flying Aces, plus of course Alex The Fireman.

While they all wowed - even despite one slip from the Aces - it was Alex who seemed to catch Dylan's eye.

He was a mix of slapstick comedy plus acrobatics as his ladder kept spinning on its axis.

The Aces, it has to be said, captivated my six-year-old son Alex, who could not believe they were happy to soar through the air at such heights. He sat there dumbstruck.

The other eye-catcher from my seat was juggler Eddy Carello. Musical instruments are the centrepiece of his act, down to juggling several balls (too many to count with the naked eye) into an amplified drum kit to bash out a pretty respectable rock beat.

And of course no circus would be complete without the anchor of a clown. Angelo is Billy Smart's face for the public, popping up between the acts to keep the crowd chuckling along.

His playful juggling japes at the expense of four hapless 'volunteers' from the audience was a great light touch.

The animals may have long gone but Billy Smart's still captures that traditional touch of magic under the big top.