What do you get when you cross the owner of a failing provincial shoe factory with a London drag queen? Kinky Boots – a musical outpouring of pride and prejudice in song, dance and high heels in this story of two worlds colliding.
With themes of prejudice, acceptance and transformation plus a little insight into how we continually seek parental approval, Kinky Boots takes some serious issues and weaves them into a story (based on reality) of both business and personal transformation. So, while it sounds very earnest, and the unlikely setting of a struggling shoe factory may sound uninspiring, mix in some glamorous drag queens, an original score by Cyndi Lauper and the creativity of the Festival Players’ directors Emily Starr, David Mallabone and Ana Sanderson, and the result is a fabulous evening of entertainment.
The set was simple but the costumes and impressively detailed props bring it to life. The choreography means the stage is filled and well used and the musical numbers are great with a mix of slow, emotive songs and lively showgirl pizazz. This show has an original but unfamiliar score, and while I enjoyed the numbers, have to admit none of them stuck in my head!
Charlie Price (Alex Butcher) has managed to escape his family’s shoe factory, Price and Son, as well as the ambitions his father has for him to take over the business. He is moving to London with fiancée Nicola (who conveniently seems to have quite a shoe fetish) played by Kerry Hibbert. But he has barely unpacked when news comes of his father’s death and he has to return to Northampton to sort out the funeral and business. He soon realises the factory has been struggling, with key customers now buying cheap imports rather than Price’s quality products. Thinking he has no choice but to close the factory and lay off all the staff, he begins the shut-down talks, but the workers are not ready to give up yet.
The initial numbers in the factory set the scene well for us and introduce the characters – with Matt Brown as George, the reliable foreman, Isabella Luba as Lauren, Kirsty Smith as Trish and Zacharias Szreter as Don. Isabella Luba puts in a fantastic performance as a very believable (and funny) girl next door with a crush on the boss, and her vocals were amazing.
Meanwhile in London, Charlie gallantly steps in to help what he thinks is a damsel in distress, but is in fact a former boxer in a dress, Lola/Simon, who can more than take care of herself. In the process her heel breaks and Charlie is quick to offer help fixing it. He watches Lola’s show, and meets her backing artists the Angels.
Lola and the Angels perform numbers throughout the show and we had a discussion about whether some of them are professional drag artists – and it turns out they are. They really are show-stealers, with the glamourous costumes and make up, larger than life presence and high energy numbers, and this creates a clever contrast with the ensemble in their drab factory outfits.
Back in Northampton, Lauren, reminds Charlie that he needs to take control and not give in – other factories have faced the same issues and survived by looking for a gap in the market. Finally, the penny drops and Charlie realises that the niche market he needs is customised boots for the drag artists that will bear the weight of adult men. Joining forces with Lola they set out to turn the business around.
There were a few opening night jitters in the show, especially in the first half, with some fluffed lines and wardrobe malfunctions, but this didn’t detract and may reflect that lead Sam Shepherd appears to have taken over the role of Lola/Simon at short notice – what a fabulous job he did! A very believable and vulnerable performance in parts as the showgirl whose dad wanted him to be a boxer (what is it with dads and boxing? – flashback to Billy Elliott).
Charlie was played well – we get the dithering character trying to please everyone else, his father, his fiancée, his workers. His singing was powerful and moving and one of the best scenes was Charlie and Simon, when they realise how similar they are, both having failed to please their fathers. ‘I’m not my father’s son’ was a truly moving, standout duet. In this scene I was impressed by how small Simon appeared to be, compared to his Lola persona – this contrast was brilliant and enhanced his vulnerability as ‘himself’.
The second half seemed to be higher energy than the first – perhaps everyone getting into their stride, some of the numbers were more upbeat and we also had some moving scenes such as Lola performing at the care home.
Lola joins the factory as designer and there is trouble at mill as Don cannot accept Simon/Lola’s presence, seemingly in either format. In the number ‘What a Woman Wants’, I couldn’t help thinking there was a great spot to slot in ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’.
Ultimately there has to be a reckoning and this comes in the form of a boxing match – nicely staged (no spoilers) and ultimately an understanding. Don was a great character in this, the ‘real man’ knuckle-dragger and along with the ensemble we face those prejudices that are always out there.
Finally, the Kinky boots are made, and everyone is ready for the big Milan fashion show that will turn around their fortunes, but Charlie has lashed out at Lola and she leaves, with nobody to model the boots how will Charlie manage? We find out in the amazing runway show scene and fabulous finale, with the audience clapping along until the very end.
Another great show from the Festival Players, with a good cast and strong creative team coupling emotional depth with pizazz.
I don’t think there are many tickets left – but you might be lucky at adctheatre.com/kinky
Credit: Finale photo is mine, all others by Liv Clark
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