Who owns the political narrative is the interesting premise of Chris New’s debut play. Undoubtedly a pertinent question on the eve of a general election but whether or not this abstract, verging on incoherent, work offers its audience any answer to that question is difficult to discern.

In it Hero (Jumaane Brown) — or Jesus or Danny, depending on your persuasion — has taken a larger-than-life, papier mache-clad George Osborne hostage in a dark London warehouse on the eve of the poll.

A young black man attempting to wrestle some control from a world where he has none or a mentally deluded fanatic carrying out an act of terrorism? It’s difficult to say, as each fragment of dialogue simply adds to the state of confusion.

The perplexity continues when the deranged Maggie, played with frenzied energy by Emily Houghton, turns up in search of “the kingdom.”

Dragging her placid boyfriend Richard (Tim Pritchett) along for the ride, she regurgitates cupcakes and shrieks of her desire to grow wings.

Attempting to understand what all this has to do with the election, I wondered whether the shape-shifting world of uncertainties presented on stage could be a metaphor for our times.

Is it that the populace is being kept in a general state of confusion and the levers of control are in the hands of such distant forces that we create fantasies in order to find some kind of authority? I decided I was almost definitely over-intellectualising.

A devised piece, you can’t help but feel that this self-indulgent play is more than a little rushed. It cries out for some external scrutiny and leaves you wondering whether there is any real substance beneath the frantic, fantastical action.

Vote with your feet on this one.

Runs until May 12, box office: finboroughtheatre.co.uk
Review by Mayer Wakefield