Twisted Knots Reviews
Chicago Tribune- Not Recommended
"...I't's "Death of a Salesman" meets "Fifty Shades of Grey"! That would, at least, work as an accurate elevator pitch for the bizarre new for-profit attraction in the Royal George Theatre's cabaret space, a jaw-dropping play by a neophyte Chicago scribe and commodities trader named Dale Danner with the salacious title of "Twisted Knots.""
Chicago Reader- Somewhat Recommended
"...But it's Dale Danner's script that could use some authenticity; the couple's sex games and the husband's much-discussed superstitious streak feel contrived and strained. Only when the charade is dropped toward the end do we glimpse genuine disappointment and fatigue. Ryan Kitley's Frank seems detached from the proceedings, but Mary Cross turns in lively, tangy work as Carla."
ChicagoCritic- Recommended
"...As Frank finally gets Gina her cash, we never see their wild sexy play but, after the intermission, we see the room laced with scattered clothing indicating fun in the sack. Don't expect a raw sensual sex farce because Twisted Knots is a drama about a troubled insecure middle aged man struggling through self worth issues. Gina, or Carla, as we find out is her name actually is, helps steer Frank into a world based on his personal strengths more than his superstitious foibles."
The Fourth Walsh- Somewhat Recommended
"...What made this show interesting were Kitley and Cross. Under Tara Branham's direction, their relationship seemed genuine. Kitley plays it overwrought. Cross tries to seduce him. He's distracted. She's annoyed. We see their life together. We feel the tension. Cross, in particular, shows a nice contrast between her evening self and the morning after. She wakes up from the fantasy with grit."
NewCity Chicago- Not Recommended
"...Rather than try to creatively redo the storefront-like stage of the Royal George, this production struck a business deal and used "furniture, fixtures and decorations" from Hard Rock Hotel Chicago. The result is a weird hyperrealism: It's a bad play in what seems like an actual hotel room. The whole deal should have inspired a new title: "In Bed with Business." Bill would have loved it."