Theatre Review: Wings, Tings, Callings & Kings

SPID Theatre, Ladbroke Grove | 120 mins

Kai Gama’s Wings, tings, callings & kings is a raw, resonant piece of theatre crackling with authenticity. Opening in the sterile confines of a Jobcentre “work readiness” session that reunites seven young men, the play follows Jobcentre employee Keith and the men as they unearth buried rivalries, stifled dreams, and unexpected bonds. What begins as a bureaucratic box-ticking training exercise soon erupts into a gripping exploration of brotherhood, trauma, and the fragile hope of redemption.

Gama himself plays Keith, the workshop leader whose well-meaning but initially awkward facilitation dents and chisels into the defensive layers of each participant. The characters are vividly drawn—Joshua Ogbue as Jonah, is a self-proclaimed chip-shop wing connoisseur; Romario Williams delivers James as clever, insightful man resigned to abandoning his ambitions; and Steph Hunt Wilson lands the restrained and sensitive DeMarco, a gifted poet grappling with grief. Ashley Mpanzu’s Hatch simmers with restless energy and hustle, while Mustapha Jabang’s Toby hides lyrical talent beneath his “ting-magnet” bravado. Rounding out the seven is R.C.’s Dean and Khalid Amadou’s Tareq, two characters bound by friendship and friction.

The script is a triumph of naturalistic dialogue, weaving poetry, rap, and biting humour into the narrative of brotherhood and self-belief. The cast’s chemistry is charged, particularly in the play’s climactic moments when long-held tensions boil over, as long suppressed talents struggle to ignite. Gama’s grounded but uplifting writing offers a poignant reflection on the systemic neglect of young men—and the transformative power of being truly seen.

At its heart, Wings, Tings, Callings & Kings is about the weight of brotherhood and the fragile possibility of change. The production’s energy is infectious, leaving the audience with a lingering question: Can these men break free from the cycles that have stifled them?

Having caught the final night at SPID Theatre on Ladbroke Grove, I urge others to seek out this show—and these formidable talents—wherever it lands next.

★★★★☆ (4/5) – Unmissable, urgent, and deeply human.

Jennifer Cavanagh

Photography by Amaya Cavanagh Robern @aj_c.r