The line between genius and insanity is a thin one and one that is drawn subjectively. Many who see Finer Noble Gases will argue that the production is an inspired look at the drug fuelled creative process of an ageing rock bank, others would argue this is ‘stoner humour’ done badly.
Set against the backdrop of a decrepit East Village apartment in New York, this production is a dark and surreal vision of four members of a rock band on a drug fuelled odyssey. Each member is on a different wavelength due to different combination of pills they have taken but managing disjointed communication with each other on the most basic of levels.
This is not comedy but sits much better within the blurred boundaries of performance art. Its single greatest success is capturing the feelings of alienation and breakdown of communication even if it does this by losing most of the audience in the inane dialogue.
After what seems like an eternity the play ends with a rousing performance by Less, the real life band who play these ageing rockers, an act clearly inspired by the visions and events of the chemically enhanced evening that preceded it.
You will either love the surreal genius of this play or find yourself screaming inside your head at the sheer inanity of the plot. I found myself very much in the latter camp.
1/5
Matthew Straw
