Los Angeles Times - Recommended
"...Director-about-town Bart DeLorenzo releases the situation's ample humor while simultaneously building tension, relaxing it, then ratcheting it still higher."
Talkin Broadway - Recommended
"...As Pete Townshend was once known to opine, "The world begins behind your neighbor's walls." It's one of the core mysteries of modern life - what do people do or say when they think they're unobserved or unheard? It's one thing when somebody idly wonders about a person living in a house across the street, but when you live in an apartment complex, privacy becomes more of a porous notion. Jonathan Caren's play Need to Know tackles this subject with wit and empathy, and the world premiere production by Rogue Machine Theatre is both entertaining and moving, brought to life by a superb trio of actors."
Stage and Cinema - Somewhat Recommended
"...This is by no means a rotten evening, but I found myself yearning for the work of Ira Levin (Deathtrap) and Frederick Knott (Dial M for Murder, Wait Until Dark)..But that's what I love about Rogue Machine Theatre: It is reminiscent of Chicago, where theater productions offer such magnificent acting, design and professionalism, that we are willing to forgive unrealized playwriting."
LA Splash - Recommended
"...Playwright Jonathan Caren brilliantly blends funny and frightening with serious topical concerns. Director Bart DeLorenzo adroitly helms the production by allowing his cast to find and convey the perfect balance of laughter and gravitas. The three principals have a keen grasp on their character's nuances and conflicts. The production offers a clever set design (Stephanie Kerley Schwartz), believable contemporary costumes (E. B. Brooks), spot-on lighting (Chu-Hsuan Chang) and crisp sound (John Zalewski), all of which enhance the play's themes. Above all, the laughter from the audience confirms that they "get it"� and are probably more familiar with this situation than they had realized. Perhaps the only shortcoming of this play is its focus on"
Stage Scene LA - Recommended
"...It's hard to imagine a finer follow-up to Rogue Machine's recent Luka's Room (my Scenie choice for World Premiere Play Of The Year) than Jonathan Caren's Need To Know. Should you Need To Know why, head on over to Rogue Machine for one rollercoaster ride of a play."
Will Call - Recommended
"...Director Bart DeLorenzo extracts fine work from his cast. Cummins is so natural, one tends to forget she's acting. The tall, strapping Lorch is adept at portraying a self-assured dude hiding a fragile mental constitution. The most astounding performance however, is that of Tim Cummings. The role is intricate and multi-faceted, which he handles a though it were written for him. This is a sophisticated, timely world premiere, a character study speckled with light and dark humor, which will pique your interest for one hundred straight minutes."
Frontiers - Recommended
"...In its world premiere run, under the sublime direction of Bart DeLorenzo, Jonathan Caren's edgy dark comedy offers a Pandora's box of dramaturgic delights. Caren spins an alternately hilarious and unnerving tale of socialization and soul-searching in the contemporary urban jungle. The richly layered script crackles with astute characterizations and sharp insights into the ways people insinuate themselves into others' lives in a culture where privacy seems a privilege from a bygone era."
Total Theater - Recommended
"...A play that puts character above story needs excellent actors to work well. Need to Know is fortunate in that regard, thanks to the inspired work of its three-person cast, who are unfazed by the challenge of capturing all the changes and complexities posed by Caren's text. Director Bart DeLorenzo and set designer Stephanie Kerley Schwartz also deserve a tip of the hat, having put together a production that floats on gossamer wings from beginning to end."
Theatre Spoken Here - Recommended
"...Under Bart DeLorenzo's sparkling direction we are joyfully drawn into their lives."
Broadway World - Recommended
"...Directed by Bart DeLorenzo with much insight into human nature and our foibles, the play runs at breakneck speed without an intermission, which often enhances the growing frustration and fear brewing between the neighbors. You will walk out thinking about people you know who share the most intimate details about their privat4e lives with strangers online and when did the need for personal privacy end? If Big Brother is really watching, have we just casually let him in? Or is the whole idea just paranoia? Interesting questions posed by this tantalizing new play."
