London's National Theatre has revealed a new crop of shows headed to its South Bank stages this summer, including a U.K. premiere for Katori Hall's Pulitzer-winning The Hot Wing King.
Roy Alexander Weise will direct the new production of the play in the National's Dorfman Theatre, with performances running July 11-September 14 and opening July 18. The work is set at a Memphis Hot Wing Festival as Cordell, his partner Dwayne, and their friends Isom and Big Charles go for the crown. A family emergency derails their plans. Kadiff Kirwan will star, with further casting to be announced. The production will feature set and costume design by Rajha Shakiry, lighting design Joshua Pharo, music by Femi Temowo, sound design by Elena Peña, and choreography by DK Fashola. Jacob Sparrow is casting director, and Samantha Adams is serving as drama therapist. Hazel Holder is dialect coach.
Coming to the Olivier Theatre is a transfer of James Graham's Boys From the Blackstuff, adapted from Alan Bleasdale's TV series. Following a run at the Royal Court in Liverpool, the production will be directed by Kate Wasserberg. George Caple, Dominic Carter, Helen Carter, Aron Julius, Nathan McMullen, Lauren O’Neil, Barry Sloane, and Mark Womack will star. The production will feature set and costume design by Amy Jane Cook, lighting design by Ian Scott, movement direction by Rachael Nanyonjo, music and sound design by Dyfan Jones, audio visual design by Jamie Jenkin, and fight direction by Rachel Brown-Williams of Rc-Annie Ltd. Performances will run May 22-June 8, with opening night set for May 29.
The venue will also see a new run of Complicité's Mnemonic, returning to the National 25 years after its first staging for a run June 22-August 10. July 2 is opening night. Conceived and directed by Simon McBurney, the work centers on a woman looking for her father, a man searching for his lost lover, and a body found in the ice. Richard Katz and Kostas Philippoglou will star with additional casting to be announced. The production will feature set design by Michael Levine, costume design by Christina Cunningham, lighting design by Paul Anderson, sound design by Christopher Shutt, video design by Roland Horvath, and casting by Alastair Coomer.
As for the Lyttelton Theatre, Carrie Cracknell will direct a new production of Frank Galati's Tony-winning adaptation of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, with Tony winner Cherry Jones starring as Ma Joad. Scenic design will be by Alex Eales, with costume design by Evie Gurney, lighting design by Guy Hoare, music by Stuart Earl, and casting by Alastair Coomer and Naomi Downham. Performances will run July 17-September 14, with opening night set for July 25. Further casting is to be announced.
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