The Hot Wing King
By Katori Hall
‘You got like, a PhD in chicken. Yo’ knowledge on some next level type s**t’
Ready! Set! Sizzle!
It’s summertime in Memphis, Tennessee and the annual Hot Wing Contest is about to roll through. Cordell has his sights set on the crown this year, with the support of his partner Dwayne and friends, Isom and Big Charles. Together, they are The New Wing Order, and they’re serving wings worthy of ‘kangs’.
Cordell’s culinary crew are getting ready to fire up his new mouth-watering ‘finna-be first-place’ recipe, when the arrival of an unexpected guest throws some extra heat up in the kitchen on prep night.
As the temperature rises and the sauce boils over, it seems a first-place trophy and a grand cash prize aren’t the only things Cordell risks losing. Can he take the heat, or will he have to get out the kitchen?
Kadiff Kirwan is Cordell in this hot new comedy told with the love language of food; about family, Black Masculinity, sexuality and the journey to finding home.
Katori Hall (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, The Mountaintop, P-Valley) returns to the National Theatre with her Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy making its London debut, directed by Roy Alexander Weise (‘Master Harold’… and the boys, Nine Night).
Suitability
Please note: This production contains descriptions of death and strong and offensive language.
- A description of a black character’s death at the hands of a police officer
- Racially offensive language is reclaimed and used as an expression of affection among Black friends
- Brief use of ableist language
- Use of a homophobic slur
- Sexual language and scenes of a sexual nature
Supporters
The National Theatre’s New Work programme is supported by the Lawton W Fitt & James I McLaren Foundation
Videos
Gallery
Rehearsal images
Cast
Jason Barnett
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King, The Visit, or the old lady comes to call, Saint George and the Dragon, The Drag (Queer Theatre Season), Emil and the Detectives, War Horse (original cast) and Amato Saltone
Kaireece Denton
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King
Kadiff Kirwan
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King and HOME (2013 and 2014)
Olisa Odele
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King
Simon-Anthony Rhoden
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King
Dwane Walcott
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King, ANNA and Damned by Despair
Production team
Playwright
Katori Hall
Katori Hall
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King and Children of Killers (Connections Festival 2011)
Director
Roy Alexander Weise
Roy Alexander Weise
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King, ‘Master Harold’… and the boys, Nine Night (also West End) and Dead Don’t Floss (New Views Festival)
Set and Costume Designer
Rajha Shakiry
Rajha Shakiry
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King, The Father and the Assassin, Trouble in Mind, ‘Master Harold’… and the boys and Nine Night (also West End)
Movement Director
Composer and Music Director
Femi Temowo
Femi Temowo
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King, Rockets and Blue Lights (also Royal Exchange, Manchester) and Three Sisters
Lighting Designer
Joshua Pharo
Joshua Pharo
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King, The Odyssey: Episode Five – The Underworld and Jekyll & Hyde (on UK tour)
Sound Designer
Elena Peña
Elena Peña
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King, Trouble in Mind, Rockets and Blue Lights (also Royal Exchange, Manchester) and Brainstorm
Intimacy and Fight Director
Bethan Clark
Bethan Clark
For the National Theatre: as intimacy and fight director, The Hot Wing King and The Odyssey: Episode 5 – The Underworld; as fight director, Dixon and Daughters; and as fight consultant, Hex
Casting Director
Jacob Sparrow
Jacob Sparrow
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King, The Confessions, Pericles, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2021 tour), Hadestown (also West End), Faith, Hope and Charity (also tour), Follies, Amadeus and LOVE (also tours and film)
Dramatherapist
Samantha Adams
Samantha Adams
For the National Theatre: War Horse (2024 tour), The Hot Wing King, Mnemonic (2024), a co-production with Complicité, Othello and Trouble in Mind
Dialect Coach
Hazel Holder
Hazel Holder
For the National Theatre: The Grapes of Wrath, The Hot Wing King, Death of England: Closing Time, The Effect, Grenfell: in the words of survivors, Trouble in Mind, The Crucible, Death of England: Delroy, Blues for an Alabama Sky, Rockets and Blue Lights, Death of England, Small Island, Nine Night, Barber Shop Chronicles, Angels in America, Les Blancs and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Company Voice Work
Tamsin Newlands
Tamsin Newlands
For the National Theatre: The Hot Wing King, Nye (also Wales Millennium Centre), Till the Stars Come Down, Jekyll & Hyde and The House of Bernarda Alba
Associate Set and Costume Designer
Ruth Hall
Ruth Hall
For the National Theatre: as associate designer, The Hot Wing King, Home, I’m Darling (also Theatr Clwyd) and London Road
Linbury Set and Costume Associate
Staff Director
Ticket prices
Monday – Saturday evenings and matinees:
£20, £35, £49, £64
Previews 11 – 16 July:
£20, £29, £39, £49
For concessions and discounts, see Ways to save
Please note the 6.30pm start time on the following performances: Tue 30 Jul, Thu 8 Aug, Thu 22 Aug and Tue 27 Aug.
Visit our Ticketing FAQs for information on how to book, ticket exchanges and more.
Prices may change according to demand
What's on guide
Download a pdf of the latest guide (2MB)
Download a large print pdf version of the latest guide (4MB), with most images removed.
Assisted performances
Captioned
BSL Interpreted
Audio described
No Chilled performance available.
No Dementia-friendly performances available.
Relaxed performance
The interpreter for the BSL performance will be Ali Gordon.
Audio-described performances are preceded by a Touch Tour, which starts 90 minutes before the performance. If you would like to join a Touch Tour, please call the Access line at 020 7452 3961. The tours must be booked at least 24 hours in advance.
Audio description by Roz Chalmers and Willie Elliot, with Creative Narration by Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́.
We have an allocation of tickets held for members of our Access scheme and if any of the assisted performances above are shown as “Sold Out”, tickets may still be available: Please log in to your account to view all available tickets, or call Box Office on 020 7452 3961
Smart caption glasses
Are planned to be available for performances of The Hot Wing King from 7.30pm, Wednesday 24 July.
Photography (Dwane Walcott, Kadiff Kirwan, Olisa Odele, Kaireece Denton, Simon-Anthony Rhoden and Jason Barnett) by Johnny Ho.