Dropping a frog into a food blender is behaviour guaranteed to upset the mildest of animal lovers. And when a live frog takes to the stage at Truro's Hall For Cornwall early next year, it looks as if its fate contains nothing more than reincarnation as a milkshake.

But Ultima Vez - the acclaimed Belgian dance company behind the show Blush - has reassured audiences that the apparent grisly end for the creature is no more than an illusion.

Blush is the latest work from choreographer Wim Vandekeybus and uses intensely physical dance, film and music to explore love in all its forms - resulting in potent and sensual scenes of lust and temptation, exhilaration and shame. As well as some nudity, and a simulated sex scene, a frog also briefly joins the cast of 10 dancers.

A spokesman for the company explained: "During the performance, a dancer comes from backstage holding a frog by one or both legs and is talking to it. She walks to the front of the stage and stands a few moments still holding the frog.

"Then Wim comes and takes the frog from her into his hands, walks to the side of the stage and pretends to put it into a blender to make a milkshake with it. Instead, by sleight of hand, he puts it in a box beneath the blender table."

The frog only stays in the box a short time before being returned to its amphibian equivalent of a star's dressing room - a specially equipped terrarium fitted out in line with advice from a frog expert that contains earth, water and plants and travels with the show.

The frog only appears on stage for about 45 seconds and is one of a pair looked after by the company's stage manager that has joined Ultima Vez for the international tour.

The company adds: "Blush does contain a simulated sex scene and the appearance of harm to a frog - although no harm to the frog does in fact pass - and we realise that some people may be offended so we have put a warning on the advertising to this effect.

"We believe the work is artistically strong and Wim Vandekeybus has a huge reputation in this country and all over the world; he is a leading contemporary choreographer and has been previously enjoyed by audiences in London at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and The Place."