Chicago Tribune - Recommended
"...But you won’t be bored at this show, I guarantee. Rumberger, a local writer, crafted two spectacular Florida women, and they were realized from head to toe to heart. I suspect Blakewell and Burch had been waiting a long time for this one. Together."
Daily Herald - Recommended
"...But Rumberger's promising play, which premiered Monday at The Gift Theatre under Wheaton native John Gawlik, offers more than sound advice (which we should all consider, regardless of age or gender). "The Locusts" examines how women cope with the persistent, intergenerational plague of male violence, how that trauma informs their lives, and how the residual fear that results manifests itself."
Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended
"...Jennifer Rumberger’s The Locusts, now in its world premiere with the Gift Theatre, blends a crime procedural with a family drama to explore generational trauma around violence against women. It has its share of mordant humor, as well as a hopeful insistence on the power of reclaiming one’s own story as a survival mechanism. But it’s also a grim reminder that patriarchy is all about controlling women, instilling terror in their daily lives, and killing them for sport or spite on occasion. Sometimes that happens through “lone wolf” men. Sometimes it’s official state policy. (If you think abortion bans aren’t a form of government-sanctioned serial killing, you haven’t been paying attention.)"
Around The Town Chicago - Recommended
"...Since it is a mystery, I will say no more except to say that I am glad this story is on the stage. Think of this as a women's story. Women of different generations living their lives and dealing with threats. Male violence towards women is no different today than it was years ago. The title is deceiving to me. The mention of Locusts is in the second act. Most of us think of Locusts and think of plagues, so I am guessing that is the basis. We also think that these happen in every generations and this play deals with several generations. It is a well acted play and keeps us spellbound into the story. It is a true whodunit but one where we care more about the characters that are trying to solve than the actual case being solved."
Chicago Theatre Review - Recommended
"...Jennifer Rumberger’s thriller is also a psychological horror story for each of these six individuals. The metaphor of locusts devouring the landscape is appropriate and creates a graphic image of how tragedies like this can devastate a community. All the characters, particularly Ella and Maisie, are so realistic and three-dimensional, audiences might believe that this story being played out is truly their own. But it’s a play that’s based upon a number of true crimes. And then, after such crimes, there’s only ever despair and darkness."
Third Coast Review - Recommended
"...It is ironic how the stripping of women's rights, banned books, and other atrocities live larger than life in Florida. The Sunshine State was the shiny tarpon leaping out of the water, blue water, and the Everglades beaming out of my ViewMaster. Jennifer Rumberger captures the other side of paradise without the allure of wealth or privilege in the world premiere of her play The Locusts by the Gift Theatre Company."
Chicago On Stage - Somewhat Recommended
"...Jennifer Rumberger’s The Locusts, now playing at Theater Wit in a production by The Gift Theatre, is grounded by excellent acting, especially from lead Cyd Blakewell, but ultimately cannot overcome two serious issues: confusing writing and a poorly conceived set design."
NewCity Chicago - Not Recommended
"...What can one say about a play whose climax rides upon a garbled and inaudible cell-phone call, rendering the final scene all but incomprehensible? That structural sloppiness does not equal rich ambiguity, just as endless carping does not make for gripping characters, and animosity against men—as opposed to patriarchal social structures—is not real politics. A psychological thriller possessing neither psychology nor suspense is no recipe for success. The true mystery here is why the usually competent brain trust at Gift Theatre gave their approval to a script as unfinished and just plain buggy as “The Locusts.”"
