"House Lights and Prolonged Sunlight" by Eric Yokomori at Kumu Kahua Theatre. A one-act play ("House Lights") followed by six short plays ("Prolonged Sunlight").

What grabbed me right off the bat was this description in the liner notes: "Intense aberrant behavior is the norm as characters confront one another in strange situations."

Hmmm, sounds like no plot. Dialogue designed only to shock and guffaw. But I'm always game for an artistic adventure. And this one went to the land of ... Where Are We?

There's a lot of free associating going on in the mind of Mr. Yokomori, a Pearl City playwright who's had other works produced at Kumu Kahua and down the street at The ARTS at Marks Garage. Strengths and drawbacks come with that unfettered style.

HIGHLIGHTS/THEMES

• I didn't think it was possible to make an abusive, coke-dealing, murderous gangbanger the sympathetic character. I was wrong.

• Troy Apostol does a tour-de-force as Mr. Peterson, a children's book publisher who dreams to ride free, in one of the short plays. (Only he's drowning in a geyser of a bursting camel's hump.)

• The posited and once again unanswered question remains: Why do dealers always want to hang out?

• Be useful, or be abandoned.

• The power of Bud Light is unmatched.

• There is no right way to do art.

If your idea of theater is being swept up in a good story, transported by actors and dialogue into another world, this one isn't for you. Nor is it for you if you are under the age of consent.

But both "House Lights" and "Prolonged Sunlight" have their moments. As the scenarios get more ridiculous, the actors commit that much harder. They can "go there," because there is no there, there — perception is reality — and that's a strange, slap-your-knee-at-times trip thanks to some committed acting. And just when it can't get any more intangible, Yokomori throws you a bone with a classic short on frenemies right out of a Cosmo mag.

So — good, yes. Bad, yes. Different, definitely. You won't be bored. You won't be moved. You'll be wondering what you and Yokomori might talk about over Bud Light. And whether it would make any sense.

The liner notes for "Prolonged Sunlight" quote the label of a Bic lighter:

WARNING keep away from children. Ignite lighter away from face & clothing. Be sure flame is completely out after each use. Contains flammable gas under pressure. Never puncture or put in fire. Do not keep lit for more than 30 seconds. Never expose to heat above 120F (49C) or to prolonged sunlight.

True dat.