Going into the Clarence Brown Lab Theatre to watch “Adaptive Radiation,” I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I’d never heard of the play before, and there didn’t seem to be much additional information about it online.

According to a press release published by Clarence Brown Theatre, “Adaptive Radiation” is about how “four millennials discover who they really are when catapulted into whimsical chaos by a strange, otherworldly spec of light.” It’s further described as an “energetic, alternative rom-com adventure.”

“Adaptive Radiation” ran for 90 minutes with no intermission, and I spent nearly all of those 90 minutes incredibly confused. However, I wouldn’t necessarily deem this a bad thing.

The play opens to a conversation between the two lead female characters, Mel and Olivia, played by undergraduate students Sarah Wahrmund and Jasmine R. Handy. Mel is sharing with Olivia how she nearly killed a pedestrian riding his bike because she was on her phone. In this scene, which takes place in Mel and Olivia’s apartment, we receive a very clear understanding of the personalities of the two roommates, which seem to heavily contrast each other in a way that’s complimentary.

Mel is characterized as the type of millennial who has already accepted the rather harsh realities of life post-college graduation. She complains about how she spent over $100,000 on a college degree just to end up stuck in an internship that pays her a barely livable wage. Olivia is in the same boat as Mel career-wise, but she attempts to cling onto some excitement in life through frequent hookups.

At the end of this opening scene, Olivia leaves the apartment for one of said hookups. Soon after, the stage turns dark and small golden specs of lights overtake the apartment while Mel is there alone. She ends up being touched by one light in particular, which transforms her into an entirely different person with a new outlook on life.

The light has very interesting effects on Mel, to say the least. It causes her to take on a very primal form, which we observe through scenes such as those in which Mel is said to eat a dead goat and develop superhuman abilities including extreme agility and an animal-like sense of smell.

In addition to Mel and Olivia, we are introduced to Steve, the man who crashed his bike due to Mel being on her phone, and Robert, a medical student that Mel develops a connection with when she seeks help regarding the effects of her encounter with the light. Steve and Robert are also played by undergraduate students, Greg Jordan and Chris Verrier.

The characters and the dialogue between them are very stereotypically and almost painfully millennial, but I think it’s done so in a way that’s self-aware.

There are around 10 total scenes in the play, with most of them only taking place between two of the characters until they all come together toward the end. This allows for a very clear understanding of each character and the separate dynamics between them all.

Despite the small cast and limited space in the Lab Theatre, the actors and content of the play pack a very big punch. Much of the humor is very adult – so much so that the play has a mature content advisory – but it’s incredibly engaging nevertheless and ensures there’s rarely a dull moment in the play.

While “Adaptive Radiation” feels very dramatic and outlandish at times, this seems to be the exact point. The play’s central theme of searching for meaning in life is one that individuals across many different generations can relate to, so it’s refreshing to see the message portrayed in a way that doesn’t feel so dark and mundane.

At the end of the day, I can’t quite describe how I felt walking away from “Adaptive Radiation.” I’m happy I went and was definitely entertained throughout, but it also felt like some strange dream I can’t quite interpret. Ultimately, I think “Adaptive Radiation” is something everyone should consider seeing for themselves to fully digest and form an opinion about.

Performances of “Adaptive Radiation” at the Clarence Brown Lab Theatre will continue through Sunday, Nov. 6. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased through the Box Office or 45 minutes before the play begins. For more information about future performances, visit the Clarence Brown Theatre website.