Where do you start when reviewing a play like this? Naturally, with coconut margaritas.

For the second year running, we kicked off our Brighton Fringe adventure at Halisco, a genuinely superb Mexican fusion spot that we simply can’t get enough of. The moment we realised it was just around the corner from the Rotunda Bubble, we booked a table and set about making a serious dent in the cocktail menu. (The food is also excellent, but let’s be honest – food has never been our primary focus.)

We could happily have stayed there all afternoon, adding to the growing collection of chilli-salt-encrusted glasses decorating our table, but we had a show to catch and a new venue to explore.

The Rotunda Theatre is an intriguing setup. Nestled in the heart of Regency Square, it looks exactly as a pop-up Fringe venue should: three dome-shaped “bubbles” surrounded by a sea of posters. It does, however, have one almost unforgivable flaw – there is no proper bar.

And please don’t tell me that the lovely woman offering coffee she can’t make from a machine she can’t operate, and a tiny fridge stocked with a handful of beers, counts as a bar. We need spirits. These are not short days. But I digress.

As we take our seats, a man sits motionless on stage, tied to a chair and apparently unconscious. He hasn’t moved since we entered. When the lights dim, a second man appears, and it quickly becomes clear that he is the captor – though his motives remain entirely opaque.

That setup is both the opening premise and, to a large extent, a fair summary of the entire play.

There is no question that the acting is strong. Sam Hill (The Witcher), Matilda Tucker (Wonka) and Joseph Reed (The Mousetrap) all deliver impressive performances, and each has moments to shine. It is easy to admire the craft on display, even if the production itself never quite engages.

The central problem is that the play offers little in the way of explanation, meaning or resolution. Questions are posed, but few are answered, and without any real development of the plot, maintaining emotional investment becomes a challenge.

It reminded me a little of The Guest – a film packed with stylish scenes and excellent performances, but one that leaves you waiting for a clearer sense of what is actually going on. I’m sure this style of theatre has both an established name and a devoted audience. It simply just isn’t for me. That being said, if any of these performers appeared in another play or television series, I would happily watch.

Sadly, this is one of those rare productions that ends up being less than the sum of its undeniably talented parts.

Clown Stars: * *

Brighton Bubble@Rotunda Theatre, Brighton