culture

Review: Kinky Boots

9 years ago
by Naomi

I’d been meaning to see Kinky Boots for months. I loved the film which I had seen a few years before, and was interested to see how it transferred to the stage. Of course, it’s set in a shoe factory and lyrics and music were written by Cyndi Lauper so I had a feeling it was going to be a great feel-good evening. I have a passion for shoes and a few Ms Lauper tapes from back in the day. It might be what one describes as a safe bet.

Two and a half feet of tubular sex

Based loosely on a true story, Kinky Boots is set in a factory in Northampton. The market is suffering, stock is being returned and a quick turnaround is needed if it is to survive. What the owner, Charlie Price, needs is a niche market. And it doesn’t come more niche than thigh-high boots for men. Or as they are described, “Two and a half feet of tubular sex.” And yes, the props did not disappoint.

At the end of the night, I was not disappointed with the show. I had my doubts after the opening numbers. Despite the cast giving it their all with ‘The Most Beautiful Thing In The World’ – a shoe – obviously – I wasn’t sure this would work. I was in two minds as to whether the character of Charlie, played by Killian Donnelly, was rather weak or the actor a tad wooden. I opted for the former as on reflection this may have been to provide a fabulous contrast to the character played by Matt Henry, Lola, the designer drag queen who has a pivotal role in the factory’s turnaround from early on.

Acceptance

The message, always present, is about accepting people for who they are. Some people suggest this no longer needs to be blasted out as if we’d never heard it, but I beg to differ. Lola overcomes the prejudices shown by Charlie, Don and others, including his own father, and I feel it would be burying our heads in the sand to pretend this behaviour doesn’t happen anymore. When Lola isn’t being the professional Lola she is Simon, who trained as a boxer… made to do so by his Dad who was trying to live his life through his son. The acceptance message is never going to go away. Be it of yourself or others around you.

But this doesn’t mean it is a doom and gloom show. Far from it. There are laughs and toe-tapping numbers throughout. Amy Lennox who plays Lauren, a factory worker with a crush on Charlie, did not disappoint with her rendition of “The History of Wrong Guys”. Her comic timing was superb. A real show-stopping moment.

Amazing Energy

The energy from the cast was amazing, particularly during “ Everybody Say Yeah” where, if I’d been sitting further up in the auditorium I’m sure I would have been made dizzy by the excessive movement from the production line conveyor belts. Lola’s Angels (her sextet of dancers – how appropriate) were a sight to behold cartwheeling around the factory in their heels. Lauper’s music was quite distinctive and easy on the ear. She won a Tony in 2013 for the Kinky Boots score. It certainly had a Lauper imprint.

The show’s story of course has problems to solve and character traits to overcome but it ends on a high and I don’t think anyone who watched it would come away feeling they had been cheated out of a good fun filled evening. Matt Henry who played Simon/Lola gave a fabulous performance and has a voice that I’m sure could have been heard outside in the Strand. Powerful is an understatement. The whole cast looked as if they had enjoyed their evening as much as the audience. I certainly got a kick out of it; this shoe will go on.

Kinky Boots is playing at The Adelphi Theatre, London. Find tickets here.

Have you seen Kinky Boots? Let us know in the comments below!

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