With only a few first night kinks to tweak, the latest play to hit the West End is Kinky Boots, which serves a delicious portion of glitz and glamour from the school of Shirley Bassey. A true story, and adapted into a movie back in 2005 starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Joel Edgerton – it now comes to the stage, resulting in a dazzling cocktail of laugh out loud comedy genius – complete with a pertinent, poignant message.
Director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell places us in the heart of a shoe factory, financially crippled and riddled with doubt as Charlie (Killian Donnelly) takes over from his late father, Mr. Price. Putting his future on hold with fiancé Nicola (Amy Ross), Charlie puts everything he owns into saving his father’s business by producing Kinky Boots for transvestites after meeting the luscious drag queen that is Lola (Matt Henry). From the word go, the energy and passion running through everyone’s veins, from the ensemble to the creative team, all the way up to the producers, is unmistakably pure. Not only is this a solid story to draw from, with the help of Broadway producer Daryll Roth and Cyndi Lauper’s musical talent, this modern day show is not only hilarious but deeply touching.
The songs, like in all musicals are used as a form of expression. All emotions emerge through lyrics and dance. Frustration appears just as quickly as happiness or excitement comes along stealing the show beat by beat, twirl by twirl. This battle between inner feelings helps the characters to see their true selves and as Charlie says ‘sometimes the truth hurts’. Jamie Baughan, the original Nick Frost doppelganger as Don was a joy to see transform from the closed minded brut of a man to a thoughtful and understanding one. The ever so catchy ‘The Sex is in the Heel’ and ‘The Most Beautiful Thing in the World’ are guaranteed to be imposing your thoughts for days afterwards and surprisingly the desire to jump on a treadmill will be overwhelming. Mitchell choreographs with superb simplicity, incorporating classical dance with contemporary moves that carefully conceals the fact that every member of the cast not only have to remember their part, but were in charge of production design as well.
There was the odd dud line or chorus, but one can’t fault the sheer talent that was presented in front of us. At times, lines are delivered in an almost too theatrical fashion and then all of a sudden the character will belt out an incredibly high note with utter ease and all is forgiven. This show reaches some great highs, pointedly, ‘Everybody Say Yeah!’ closing the first half.
We also have the fabulously athletic, ‘Angels’ who, without doubt, Sellotape the production throughout with gymnastic outrageousness. Matt Henry, shines throughout too, bringing the perfect combination of make-up and muscles to his very broken but brimming with confidence and sass, Lola. Amy Lennox also steals the scenes she’s in with a grace and quirkiness. This really is well worth the trip out to that there London.
Be prepared to laugh, cry and gasp as you witness the knee high; buttock toning, stiletto pointed quirky production that doesn’t hold back.
Kinky Boots is showing at the Adelphi Theatre in London. More information and tickets, can be found at the production’s official website, here.
