REVIEW: Alliance Theatre serves a sweet and spicy ‘Hot Wing King’

Cordell has entered the contest before, “just for fun,” he says, although there’s some talk that his culinary creations could justify opening his own “gourmet” place. He describes this year’s recipe as a Cajun Alfredo wing encrusted with bourbon-infused bacon crumbles. Big Charles (Nicco Annan), a barber by trade, is a natural to chop and trim the chicken. Methodically stirring the pot of marinade is the sassy and flamboyant Isom (Armand Fields). Dwayne is charged with soaking the hickory chips prior to Cordell smoking the wings on the grill.

“A chef is only as good as his line (of assistants),” Cordell tells them, occasionally resorting to loudly blowing a whistle he wears around his neck to keep the crew in line. Indeed, the boisterous banter and rapid repartee between the friends feels authentic and is frequently funny, but the fast and overlapping dialogue is often hard to fully decipher or appreciate. And, when an impromptu interlude featuring a Luther Vandross song turns into a full-blown musical number, the play gets a little out of hand.

Such forced comedic moments don’t always blend smoothly with some emotional dramatic elements. For starters, there’s the unexpected arrival of Dwayne’s teenage nephew, E.J. (Myles Alexander Evans), still coping with the death of his troubled mother, and yearning to break free from his streetwise father, T.J. (Jay Jones), who tries engaging him in a few of his shady drug deals.

Credit: Greg Mooney

Credit: Greg Mooney

In one nicely acted scene, while shooting hoops in the yard, E.J. seems to hit it off with Cordell, confiding in him about his hopes for the future, and questioning him about the “choice” he made to leave his wife and grown children for another man. But things quickly fall apart once Cordell expresses reservations about E.J. moving in with them, mainly because Dwayne never consulted with him about it. And E.J. finally accuses Cordell of “passing judgment,” after he mentions the cash that went missing from Dwayne’s wallet the last time E.J. visited.

Other serious topics of conversation are somewhat undermined or entirely undone by the ill-conceived comedic takeaways.

The first act closes with a heated argument, as Cordell and Dwayne address issues of commitment and compromise surrounding their relationship, which leaves Cordell in a sad, soul-searching state. It doesn’t last long; the second act opens like something out of a sitcom, with Cordell pitching a childish kicking-and-screaming fit upon learning of a kitchen mishap involving an excessive amount of spice that’s carelessly added to his sauce.

Credit: Greg Mooney

Credit: Greg Mooney

The most thoughtful passages depict an unlikely bond between Dwayne and T.J., the father figures in E.J.’s life. They may not have much else in common, but they share a certain sense of guilt over the tragic fate of E.J.’s mother. In their various discussions about parental responsibility and guidance, both men convey a genuine concern for the teen.

Jones’ portrayal of T.J. is impressively textured in how it challenges initial impressions of the character as a stock deadbeat or “bad guy.” Yes, his logic about “dealing drugs with honor” is dubious. So are his narrow-minded fears about E.J. growing up to be a “soft punk” in the care of a gay couple. There’s no question T.J. is misguided, but the actor skillfully reveals that he’s also well-meaning.

And what thanks does poor T.J. get for trying to do the right thing for his son? In the end, he’s reduced to serving as the butt of a silly, and hardly practical, joke. The scene is amusingly performed, for sure, but it ultimately confirms that Hall’s play can’t really have its proverbial hot wings and eat them, too.

THEATER REVIEW

“The Hot Wing King”

Through March 5. 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays; 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sundays. $25-$78 ($10 for teens). Alliance Theatre at Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta. 404-733-4600, alliancetheatre.org.

Bottom line: A mixed bag.