Kinky Boots
*****
Tue 23 Jul, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff
Kinky Boots is one of those modern classics of British cinema in the same vein of Brassed Off and Calendar Girls. Just like its latter counterpart Boots has been given the musical treatment, but in this case the distinctly British story and setting has been adapted for the stage by the quintessentially New York pairing of Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper.
Stil, who better to adapt a story of involving drag queens and messages of acceptance than the unapologetically gay Tony-award winning writer Fierstein, and the life-long queer rights activist of Lauper. Some of the music is recognizably Lauper and within the first few minutes you’d be forgiven for thinking that this musical sounds a bit too Broadway for a story set in Northampton, but I assure you that feeling soon goes.
Kinky Boots tells the largely true story of Price & Sons. Charlie Price inherits firm after the death of his father. forms an unlikely partnership with drag queen Lola as they hit on the unlikely plan to save the failing Northampton shoe factory. That plan was to make ‘kinky boots’ – a line of custom high heels for drag queens, the exact opposite of men’s dress shoes the firm is known for.
To paraphrase one the characters, there’s a big sparkly hole when Lola’s not onstage. At times Kayi Ushe sounds a little too much like Chiwetel Ejiofor from the original film, but Lola is a diva and Ushe’s voice fits that role; from the Land of Lola when we meet the character to the tender Not My Father’s Son and the heartbreaking Hold Me In Your Heart – the man can sing. Lola is not the only queen onstage, backed by a group of drag queens – the Angels – dancing in heels that it’s actually a surprise that none of them are full time queens.
In such a talented cast Paula Lane’s Lauren was another standout, bringing a certain goofiness to the role. As Charlie Joel Harper-Jackson I couldn’t tell if he was actually laughing or just a good actor; either way he seems to be totally enjoying himself in this show which is such a lovely thing to see.
For a touring show it’s a welcome change not to have one or two TV names in the cast, making it so much easier to get lost in the piece. I for one am more appreciative watching a cast made up fully of theatre actors.
I must confess my love of the film and drag queens, so it’s so pleasing to say that the musical lives up to the heart the original film had. If this current heatwave doesn’t get you hot and bothered, a night out with Kinky Boots might.
words Chris Williams
Kinky Boots is on at the Wales Millennium Centre until Sat 3 Aug. Info here