The Great Moscow Circus arrived at Gateway Island yesterday in a convoy of five prime-movers and dozens of smaller trucks, vans and trailers.

A crew of 53, including 28 performers, started marking out the site ahead of a fortnight of performances, starting tonight at 7.30pm.

The big top will be launched this morning, with one automated king pole to raise the compound material tent, which deflects not only the rain but also the heat.

“Circus technology has come a long way. The tent used to arrive on five prime-movers now it’s just one and it would take three poles to raise instead of just the king pole,” circus general manager Greg Hall said.

“But for some reason it still takes us about the same amount of time to set up.”

Albury-Wodonga is stop number 42 of 55 for the circus on its tour of Australia and will be the group’s first visit to the twin cities in seven years.

Mr Hall said audiences could expect a more daring show this time around.

“There’s more of the stuff for the thrillseekers, more an edge of your seat show,” he said.

He said highlights included the wheel of death, Russian bar and the globe of death, where four motorcyclists reached speeds of 80kmh in a caged globe.

“Imagine having four motorbikes going 80kmh over the walls, floors and ceilings in your kitchen,” Mr Hall said.

“It’s like that.”

Mr Hall said the show, which featured miniature horses but no other animals, had been entertaining strong crowds across Australia.

“We’ve just come from Tasmania where we had 80,000 people through. If we hadn’t read about the (economic downturn) we wouldn’t believe it,” he said.

“Such has been the success of the tour we’re thinking of coming back maybe every three years.”

Go to moscowcircus.com.au for show times.