THE HOT WING KING – Written by Katori Hall; Directed by Timothy Douglas. Produced by the Denver Center Theatre Company (14th and Curtis, Denver) through May 25. Tickets available at 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org.
Last summer, I finally got to attend a play at the National Theatre in London – a bucket list item for me since watching so many of the filmed versions of their performances. And the show I got to see – THE HOT WING KING!. I was totally convinced that the cast of Black actors had been imported from the States for the show as they had the Southern swagger, the inflections in their salty language, and the grace of the confident all down so smoothly. They had to be “real” American actors. But I was wrong. Later, reading the program, I discovered they were just incredibly gifted and dedicated British actors.
This was a delightful introduction to this new script by Ms. Hall and made my anticipation of seeing the show again in Denver even higher. Perhaps – but only perhaps – if the swagger, the slang, the sexiness may have come a little more naturally to the Denver cast, it wasn’t by much. They all gave wonderful performances of this sexy and thoughtful script.
Three experienced to the point of being pro barbeque chefs have come together again in an attempt to win the crown as creating the best Hot Wings in Memphis. They are joined by a new member of the team who needs coaching in how to stir and who spreads his gay sauciness all over the gathering. The two men who live in the condo with the kitchen are exploring a still raw and uncertain relationship. One man is tormented by having left his family for this experimental time in Memphis; the other is haunted by the death of his sister at the hands of the police and the impact it has had on her son. The final two characters are the ex-husband of the deceased sister and her teenage son.
The banter between the men as they chop, season, stir, and sear is gay in every sense of the word. They are comfortable in their skins and make no bones about their enjoyment of music, food, and each other. Terence Archie as Cordell is unsure of parts of his life, but very secure in his ability to make marinades and sauces. His George Clooney good looks and confidence make him easy to watch and lend gravitas to his conflicting emotions. His new partner Dwayne, played by Curtis Wiley, has one-part helpless devotion and two-parts steely determination. These men are wise beyond their years and experience, but fight to find a way to a middle ground. Isaiah Tyrelle Boyd creates a unique but somehow familiar character for Isom, the newest to the group. His sass is unlimited; he is sexy and sweet at the same time; he is a trash talker supreme and as funny as Will Smith thinks he is. He provides the crowning touch to the HOT sauce and the sauce to the dialogue all evening long.
Isom’s sometime partner is Big Charles, played by Tobias A. Young with a slow grace and a sweet heart. As the past champion and most knowledgeable of the team, he is a mentor and a partner in the whole enterprise. TJ is the struggling father caught between the desire to do good and the need to do well to provide for his son. Dogged by failure as a provider, father, and even as a drug dealer, his way down seems destined. A brilliant young actor – Jacques Jean-Mary – takes on the role of the troubled teen Everett, who has seen his mother killed by the police, been evicted several times with his father, seen his own dreams fall by the wayside, yet still manages to act badly – like a normal teenager. His life thus far has given him the strength to carve his own path in this world of caring but clueless adults.
The script contains the best of raucous humor and a thoughtful consideration of relationships of all kinds. It explores the beauty of kinship of those related by blood and those related by love and friendship. Oh, yes, you will laugh out loud, but you will also watch in quiet wonder as these men bare their souls.
A WOW factor of 8.75!