←Recommendations of Confirmation Bias

There is a ton of depth in this emotional 10-minute journey. The spark that ignited this piece is well seen, but so are the liberties Malakhow takes in his plot. Looking at this piece through a modern-day lens, it is a tear-jerker as you watch David struggle with self-acceptance during a time where it was truly considered 'wrong' to love who you love. A great read by a talented playwright.

Nick Malakhow has such a gift with character that this short play, based around an imagined meeting during a renowned scientific study, just oozes with personality, spark, anxiety, and texture. It's always a treat to read one of Nick's plays, and to fully experience his vibrant, breathing, boundless character studies. Great work.

It's always wonderful to see a playwright effortlessly infuse characters with qualities that make them feel uniquely human. Malakhow does all that in more, where in 10 minutes he masterfully uses subtlety to add suspense, and tell a gripping story, among many other qualities that make this play a joy to read.

Self-acceptance can be a difficult road, and in this play it's explored through two queer men on opposite ends of the path but still with so much in common. Set in the historically real world of the 1950s (when homosexuality would still be considered a mental illness for another two decades) this short play unpacks a rich examination of bias, internalized shame, and connection. Nick Malakhow is skillful in creating layers of subtext that make both characters distinct and the story incredibly compelling.

Malakhow’s “Confirmation Bias” is a riveting and exponentially rich play that’s condensed into ten minutes. Regarding the psychological acceptance of homosexuality, this period piece has a lot to unravel, and showcases that loving someone of the same sex does not make one mentally ill; it doesn’t matter who you love, all that matters is that you love them and that you’re happy.

Malakhow gives us a fascinating and intimate view into the past. He does a fantastic job of capturing the feel of that time in history, both in terms of the fear of being outed and their manner of speaking. The characters are bold and well-defined. Malakhow treats the characters with a wonderful warmth.

Works like this are important because they capture the experiences of queer men in the past. They serve as time capsules and, in their own way, a warning.

A perfectly-measured tightrope of a play, that's understated and suspenseful. So much is happening underneath the polite surface, and Malakhow infuses both characters with warmth and depth. There's just a lot for a cast and director to mine in this flawless 10-minute play.

The play's historical context is appealing, and Nick Malakhow's ability to use humor within a tense situation, as the men probe the intentions of the other person was extremely well done. He has drawn two distinct characters with personalities that jump off the page.

A marvelous piece of theater. There is so much in this short play to unpack, so much that is said and not said. This is truly a masterclass of subtext and would be a beautiful play for two actors who want to be challenged. I am always inspired to see short plays like this that are so fearless and hard hitting. This gem needs to be produced, it's a wonderful, haunting, beautiful piece of life.

A tender slice-of-life piece that lives on the periphery of a significant psychological breakthrough about homosexual men. Malakhow achingly portrays two gay men living in an oppressive society before the Stonewall riots. Both Chuck and David have a simple yet very compelling push-pull dynamic— Not just between each other, but also how they present their sexuality to the world. You definitely want to see where their relationship will go next!