Theatre review: The Music Box, Paradise In The Vault (Venue 29), Edinburgh

PERFORMED with puzzling conviction by Cambridge University’s Recursion Theatre, Emma Stirling’s new play purports to be “a darkly hypnotic exploration of a child’s imagination… a liberating vision of the kaleidoscope that is growing up”.

The Music Box

Paradise in the Vault (Venue 29)

Star rating: * *

Not that this summation helps much in deciphering either writing or action, the former characterised by lines like “We spirograph against an alien equation”, the latter a portentously cryptic muddle of broodingly romantic dream sequences and scenes from some kind of nightmarish children’s nursery, all apparently (maybe?) framed by a drug-induced coma. At least one of Stirling’s lines resonates meaningfully, though: “There’s no comfort in empty games.”

• Until 27 August. Tomorrow 6:10pm.