[ssba]
Need To Know
Reviewed by Terry Morgan
Rogue Machine
Extended through January 24
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.
Young artistic couple Steven (Lucas Near-Verbrugghe) and Lilly (Corryn Cummins) have just moved back to New York after a time living in L.A. Their neighbor in the next-door apartment is Mark (Tim Cummings), who seems very nice if a bit socially awkward. Once they think they’re alone, Steven and Lily enjoy making fun of Mark, specifically mocking the new young adult novel he’s about to have published. Then they realize he could probably hear them through the thin wall. Lily is mortified and tries to be friendlier to Mark, but Steven is unrepentant, becoming convinced there is something wrong with the man. As tensions mount, Steven begins to wonder if Mark has been stalking them all along.
Tim Cummings does a marvelous balancing act as Mark, interlacing moments of humor and vulnerability with moments of menace. He keeps the audience guessing as to Mark’s intentions with expert skill, but at the same time he keeps the character realistic and sympathetic. Corryn Cummins is immensely likeable as Lily, who is essentially a good person, bringing quiet intelligence to the role as she begins to realize she’s in the middle of a conflict between two manipulative men. Near-Verbrugghe’s Steven is described at one point as “an arrogant dick,” and the actor has fun with this aspect, but he particularly impresses when the character has to come to terms with his own failings and the facade of control drops completely.
Director Bart DeLorenzo stages the action between the adjoining apartments with seamless precision, and his swift pacing keeps the show crackling. Stephanie Kerley Schwartz’s set is terrific, using every extra inch of space to create two credible apartments in Rogue Machine’s smaller theater. Playwright Caren has constructed a play that isn’t quite a thriller or a comedy but something that beautifully combines strong elements of both. His dialogue is especially good, the repartee between Steven and Lily being consistently bright and funny.
Rogue Machine, 5041 Pico Blvd., Los Angeles; Sat., 5 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m.; Mon., 8 p.m.; Extended through January 24. www.roguemachinetheatre.com Running time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
