A woman set fire to her knickers, a man dislocated his shoulder – deliberately, I might add – to fit himself through a tennis racquet, and another played piano while standing on his head: not a bad start for this year’s Fringe Festival, which kicked off Saturday night with La Clique.

This carnivalesque collection of wacky acts was the big hit of last year’s Fringe, and many of the same delightful faces have returned:  Captain Frodo is still charmingly bendy, David O’Mer is still rippling his torso in a porcelain bath, and the English Gents are still hoisting each other into the air on their little fingers without taking their eyes of the Financial Times.

So what’s different? Mario, Queen of the Circus, for one, who juggles and unicycles to Queen songs, Michaelangelo, who replaces Camille O’Sullivan as the in-between singer (does he fill her shoes? Those shoes? I don’t think so!) and Ursula Martinez, who would make handkerchiefs disappear up her sleeve, if she weren’t entirely devoid of sleeves or any other form of clothing. There are also a few updates on last year’s acts: the English Gents have introduced a bit of local colour to their act, but that’s all we can reveal.

If you missed it last year, go. If you saw it last year, you won’t need much persuading to go again. Quirky circusry with lots of fun to launch what’s shaping up to be another highly entertaining Fringe season. Oh, and the Docklands are so last year: this year’s hub is the Iveagh Gardens, making for a much more picturesque and party feeling, and that’s from a Northside habitual.

Your comments, please. Anyone? Bueller?