AS Cilla Black sang in other circumstances, "What's it all about, Alfie?".

I'd bet that most of the audience left The Studio debut of York University's Out Of The Blue theatre company asking themselves what on earth had been going on.

Caryl Churchill's play left me not so much bewitched as bothered and bewildered. I'm indebted to the press release for informing me that the play "tells the course of a young girl's journey from childhood innocence to mass murder, ending with her total immersion in a world torn apart by conflict and on the brink of apocalyptic annihilation".

The actors in Out Of The Blue are all students of the university's drama initiative and, unlike the audience, presumably had the advantage of dissecting and discussing the play in rehearsal.

Things started off well enough - a woman is angry that a girl with a teddy has sneaked out of the house and witnessed violent events. We are clearly dealing with some sort of war or civil unrest. Scenes complicate the picture: a man and woman make hats; a musical scene involves a parade of elaborate hats; the man and woman, dressed in battle fatigues, argue and bicker. The action is then repeated, with the actors shouting over film of previous scenes projected on the back wall.

I admired the excellent performances (notably Paul Birch, Panda Cox and Sophie Larsmon) and Mary Luckhurst's slick production which would have stimulated further debate among audiences. Those wanting a more straightforward entertainment would have left exasperated.

* Ends today. Tickets (01904) 623568.

Published: 12/02/2005