We are presented with non-stop comical scenes, most noteworthy of which is the court-room scene with its incoherent judge, where even a sheep is called to give evidence, and imaginative use of a rubber glove stretched to create an alien-like puppet.

However, the whole play has an uncomfortable edge to it. I sensed many tongue-in-cheek references to the similarities to prisoners in Guantanamo Bay and Beresford’s experience of (in)justice, where lack of evidence does not necessarily lead to ‘reasonable doubt’ in assessing if someone is guilty or not. This is nowhere more poignant than when Beresford’s girlfriend informs him that no one else will help him because “everyone is involved in the system.” Beresford’s strong belief in justice continues through to the bitter end; he even proclaims that he will fight and then “go on holiday – to America - to the land of freedom.”

Creative, original and full of unexpected twists, this is a fascinating piece of theatre in which the ensemble create an abstract and surreal world in which anything can happen and is easily believable. It is a brilliant piece of work full of purposeful mistakes, slapstick, paradoxes and farce. What you need to know about You Don’t Need to Know That is that it is a brilliant piece of theatre and well worth seeing.

Oxford Times
From the The Oxford Times, first published Thursday 26th Apr 2007.
The Burton Taylor Theatre, beside the Playhouse, regularly houses some of the most innovative theatre to be found in Oxford. I often think of it as our own miniature version of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The surreal theatre company Gonzo Moose underlined this on Saturday when they arrived, welcome visitors, as part of their whistle-stop national tour.
The intriguingly titled You Don't Need to Know That was a wildly imaginative show on the Kafkaesque notion of a man waking to find he is charged with a crime but none of the judicial authorities will explain what he has done wrong. This show brings out all the absurdist humour of the crazy situation, while also being rather moving as the hero, Beresford, played with gentle humour by Mark Conway, is rather an everyman figure. His co-performers, Angus Barr and Claire Thomson, play lots of different and, most crucially, well-differentiated characters. To each they gave a unique brand of craziness, as none of the characters apart from the hero and his girlfriend are in least bit sane.
Yet crazy doesn't have to mean indulgently silly, and though the show is devised it is well crafted. The script, written by the three performers and director Abigail Anderson, is tightly structured and very funny. Excellent direction from Anderson keeps the performers on track. The set design is pure genius - five filing cabinets and a table become everything from corridors to law courts, libraries to escape tunnels.
Pleasingly, this play is suitable for all ages. Indeed its high-energy and madcap humour was very appreciated by youngsters in the audience. Frances, ten, told me she thought It was very funny and lots of surprising things happened. I would heartily agree with that.

Oxford Daily Info – Simon Berry
When Beresford opens a letter asking him to fill in the enclosed form (that is not enclosed) and return it to the Department of Justice, he sets of an unstoppable chain of events that leads, via his trial, conviction and imprisonment, to his execution for a crime, or crimes, unknown. And it’s hilarious. Drawing on influences from Kafka’s Trial to The Count of Monte Cristo via Terry Gilliam’s Brazil, and utilising a brilliantly conceived set of office furniture for everything from a library to a guillotine, this superb piece of Absurdist theatre from Gonzo Moose Productions drew laugh after laugh from a delighted, and very involved, audience.

With Mark Conway excellent in the role of Beresford, our tragic hero, the remainder of the parts were filled by the equally superb Clare Thomson (warder, judge, police officer, Miriam – Beresford’s love interest, fellow prisoner) and Angus Barr (warder, prosecuting barrister, police officer, executioner, a variety of prisoners). Energy, comic timing, and sheer glee were evident in abundance as our hero was wrapped up in red tape, put on hold, arrested, interrogated, laughed out of court, incarcerated and, finally, met his end. Mark Conway convinced with his portrayal of a man who naively believed that the inherent fairness of the judicial system would eventually see him exonerated for the (unknown) crime which he knew he had not committed. Clare Thomson was wonderfully funny in all roles; the highlights being her glorious judge – and several ’beautiful’ witnesses (including a fabulous sheep) - and her loving Miriam. Angus Barr mixed effortless musical skill (banjo, keyboards and vocals) with highly energetic and skilfully created characters, most especially as a vituperative barrister who delighted in spitting all over my companion – she won’t comment on actors who spit quite so readily next time!

Congratulations are most certainly due to Mandy Dike and Ben Rigby for excellent set design and fabrication, to Tom Richmond for sympathetic and effective lighting, to Maija Nygren for an abundance of splendid costumes and to director Abigail Anderson for a superb production. It’s a shame that this was only at the Burton Taylor for one night, because if you weren’t there you missed a real treat. Well done to the BT for another splendid show.

Bristol Evening Post – Susie Weldon
THIS was the first public performance of Bristol-based Gonzo Moose's play, You Don't Need To Know That, and a production member admitted afterwards they weren't sure which parts the audience would laugh at.
They must have felt reassured: the audience laughed at virtually all of it.
Gonzo Moose is known for its visually inventive comedy theatre and this mad but inspired production throws in a bit of everything - from humour, music, and slapstick, to cheesy dancing and clever puppetry involving a rubber glove.
You Don't Need to Know That, directed by Abigail Anderson, takes us into an anarchic world in which everything we take for granted is turned upside down.
Beresford Jones believes in justice and the triumph of innocence which is why, when he's arrested for a crime he didn't know he'd committed, he is convinced everything will turn out alright.
He never gets to know what he did wrong and neither do we. Instead, a succession of eccentric and hilarous characters parades across the stage - incompetent police officers, a psychotic librarian, an arrogant singing barrister, a 'flea whisperer' prisoner, a toothy graphologist.
All are played with a great sense of fun by the excellent cast. Mark Conway is hilarious as the nerdy, naive Beresford, Clare Thomson combines superb comic timing with sexy charm and Angus Barr has great physical presence.
They make the most of Mandy Dike's inventive set in which five filing cabinets become beds, chairs, walls, doors, a witness box and even a guillotine.
You Don't Need To Know That made a triumphant debut at The Rondo and its very few rough edges are likely to be smoothed in future performances.
It is at The Rondo until Saturday and tours to Bradon Forest School, Swindon, on Tuesday, the Brewhouse, Taunton, on May 1 and Bristol Old Vic on May 3 and 4. Don't miss it.