By Jeff Pitcher. Directed by Carole Higgins. A Carousel Theatre for Young People production. At the Waterfront Theatre on Wednesday, April 17. Continues until April 28

Confusing existentialism: just what every kid needs.

At the start of playwright Jeff Pitcher’s Arthur: Boy King, which is designed for young audiences, the teenage Arthur pulls the magic sword Excalibur out of a rock, proving that he is, by right of birth, the king of all England. Arthur hasn’t officially been in line for the throne, so a complicated explanation follows of who fathered whom and under what circumstances. But that’s just the beginning of the play’s elusiveness. It’s hard to figure out what Arthur’s antagonist, his older half-sister Morgana, is after; she stops her husband, King Lot, from killing Arthur when he has the chance, but she plots against her brother in her own ways. Arthur’s mentor, Merlin the magician, keeps impressing upon Arthur the importance of staying present and looking within. But what is Arthur supposed to do exactly? Meditate?

Arthur faces challenges—Guinevere, his betrothed, hits on his best friend Lancelot, and Sir Kay, the guy Arthur thought was his brother, is a bit of a screwup—but Arthur’s central quest is unclear. The plot seems to set up a decisive fight between Arthur and Lot but that encounter never takes place. At the end of the play, Arthur proclaims his triumph. He is, he says, a boy no more. But I could identify neither a clear victory nor a clear insight.

There are a couple of sword fights in Arthur: Boy King, but the sheer weight of talk overwhelms them. Scenes go on and on. Morgana and Lot debate strategies; Sir Kay and a young boy (a manifestation of Merlin) discuss bravery. It’s repetitive, it’s abstract, and it’s boring.

On the positive side, director Carole Higgins’s production is physically handsome and well-cast. Scott Bellis, one of the best actors in town, plays Merlin with persuasive command and charm. Kayvon Kelly uses great comic timing and a consistently absurd attitude to make Sir Kay a lot funnier than his text. And although Arthur’s speeches make him a bit of a whiner, Arthur MacKinnon brings credible vulnerability to his performance as the youthful would-be king.

Lighting designer Jeff Harrison and composer and sound designer Jeff Tymoschuk create a spooky and magical mood. And Barbara Clayden’s costumes—especially Morgana’s purple and black dress and Lancelot’s teal tunic—are rich.

But I still had to shift around to stay alert.