Kinky Boots is the ultimate feel good musical, with catchy musical numbers that just lift you up - the perfect remedy for what is currently a bleak time for all. Whilst nothing can compare to actual live theatre and the full theatre experience, these live streams are better than nothing whilst theatres are forced to remain closed.
It started out as a film in 2005, which had come about following a 1999 BBC2 documentary series entitled “Trouble At The Top”, which saw Steve Pateman - a struggling businessman, desperate to save his family-run shoe factory from closure, by making the brave move to produce fetish footwear for men under the brand name “Divine Footwear”. The film won a Golden Globe award the same year it was released.
This live stream features the Original London Cast, which I was fortunate enough to see live and up close shortly after opening at the Adelphi Theatre in the West End, and a few years later getting to see some of the touring casts, however, this particular cast will always remain a firm favourite. The West End production ran from September 2015 - January 2019, and won an Olivier Award in 2016 for Best Musical.
One main difference between the tour and West End production is the fact there’s no young Charlie or Lola in the touring production. For this reason I much prefer the West End production.
The musical production users the same storyline and main characters as the 2005 - focussing on main character Charlie Price, who is left to takeover failing Price And Sons factory following the death of his father. In this production, Killian Donnelly plays the leading role of Charlie Price, the reluctant beneficiary of his late father's shoe factory, which is on the brink of collapse. At first he’s stubborn, unable to see a way forward and his heart not into the idea of raking over the family business. But a chance meeting with Lola (aka Simon) a 6ft something larger than life Drag Queen, when (at first assuming Lola is in fact female) Charlie goes to stop an attempted mugging on Lola before Lola herself gives the would be muggers a shock and fights them off himself. In doing so he stumbles and breaks a heel on his extra large sized thigh boot. When Charlie tells Lola he can fix the boot and explains about his shoe factory, Lola tells him what a nightmare it is finding ladies boots strong enough to hold the weight of a 6ft something man and to fit a mans foot, without the boots also being ugly and too masculine. Charlie then gets the brainwave that could make or break him...he just needs to convince the rest of the factory staff, drafting in Lola and friends to help them design a sample “kinky boot”.
Meanwhile Charlie’s fiancé Nicola has other ideas for the factory, having gone and spoken to an architect who wants to buy the building and turn it into luxury apartments. This puts them at odds with each other, with Charlie reluctant to give up on the family business so easily. Factory worker Lauren (Natalie McQueen) hasn’t particularly seen eye to eye with Charlie before or seen him as desirable, but his new found confidence and determination to bring his idea to life and potentially save the factory from closure, makes her see him in a whole new light and she starts to question herself as to whether or not she is developing feelings for him. The pair get to spend more time together when he promotes her and gets her involved with reinventing the out-dated shoe company.
One of the great things about this production being done as a live-streaming is you get to see the fantastic costumes and boots up close and see all the fine details - particularly in numbers such as “The Sex Is In The Heel”. Something you’d not be guaranteed to see in the theatre itself.
The show's music and lyrics were written by '80's pop star Cyndi Lauper, which is probably why the songs are so catchy and memorable. There’s not a weak song in the set and the show itself is an overall feel-good story with the message to 'just be who you want to be'.
My favourite characters are Lauren, who goes from goofy box-stuffer to Executive and finds the confidence to be herself around Charlie and making it known to him that she has become smitten with him. Natalie McQueen captures this aloofness well, particularly during “The History Of Wrong Guys” where Lauren is battling her inner thoughts as she comes to terms with the fact that whilst she has a history of falling for the wrong guy all the time, by the end of the song she’s found a new confidence that ensures she’ll not only excel in her new role, but will succeed in finally landing herself with the right guy.
Another favourite character is Lola/Simon (Matt Henry), who as Lola is sassy, witty and not to be messed with, whilst when out of costume and as Simon, he’s still the scared, introvert who as a child was shunned by his own father for wanting to be himself - ie Lola. Whilst I’ve seen a variety of different casts of Kinky Boots, these two roles, along with Killian as Charlie, out-do all others who’ve been in the same roles.
I don’t know how much longer theatres will be forced to stay closed, but I at least know I have these live streams to look forward to. For further information please follow “The Shows Must Go On” channel on YouTube which also has details on how you can donate to the charitable causes each show is in aid of.
It started out as a film in 2005, which had come about following a 1999 BBC2 documentary series entitled “Trouble At The Top”, which saw Steve Pateman - a struggling businessman, desperate to save his family-run shoe factory from closure, by making the brave move to produce fetish footwear for men under the brand name “Divine Footwear”. The film won a Golden Globe award the same year it was released.
This live stream features the Original London Cast, which I was fortunate enough to see live and up close shortly after opening at the Adelphi Theatre in the West End, and a few years later getting to see some of the touring casts, however, this particular cast will always remain a firm favourite. The West End production ran from September 2015 - January 2019, and won an Olivier Award in 2016 for Best Musical.
One main difference between the tour and West End production is the fact there’s no young Charlie or Lola in the touring production. For this reason I much prefer the West End production.
The musical production users the same storyline and main characters as the 2005 - focussing on main character Charlie Price, who is left to takeover failing Price And Sons factory following the death of his father. In this production, Killian Donnelly plays the leading role of Charlie Price, the reluctant beneficiary of his late father's shoe factory, which is on the brink of collapse. At first he’s stubborn, unable to see a way forward and his heart not into the idea of raking over the family business. But a chance meeting with Lola (aka Simon) a 6ft something larger than life Drag Queen, when (at first assuming Lola is in fact female) Charlie goes to stop an attempted mugging on Lola before Lola herself gives the would be muggers a shock and fights them off himself. In doing so he stumbles and breaks a heel on his extra large sized thigh boot. When Charlie tells Lola he can fix the boot and explains about his shoe factory, Lola tells him what a nightmare it is finding ladies boots strong enough to hold the weight of a 6ft something man and to fit a mans foot, without the boots also being ugly and too masculine. Charlie then gets the brainwave that could make or break him...he just needs to convince the rest of the factory staff, drafting in Lola and friends to help them design a sample “kinky boot”.
Meanwhile Charlie’s fiancé Nicola has other ideas for the factory, having gone and spoken to an architect who wants to buy the building and turn it into luxury apartments. This puts them at odds with each other, with Charlie reluctant to give up on the family business so easily. Factory worker Lauren (Natalie McQueen) hasn’t particularly seen eye to eye with Charlie before or seen him as desirable, but his new found confidence and determination to bring his idea to life and potentially save the factory from closure, makes her see him in a whole new light and she starts to question herself as to whether or not she is developing feelings for him. The pair get to spend more time together when he promotes her and gets her involved with reinventing the out-dated shoe company.
One of the great things about this production being done as a live-streaming is you get to see the fantastic costumes and boots up close and see all the fine details - particularly in numbers such as “The Sex Is In The Heel”. Something you’d not be guaranteed to see in the theatre itself.
The show's music and lyrics were written by '80's pop star Cyndi Lauper, which is probably why the songs are so catchy and memorable. There’s not a weak song in the set and the show itself is an overall feel-good story with the message to 'just be who you want to be'.
My favourite characters are Lauren, who goes from goofy box-stuffer to Executive and finds the confidence to be herself around Charlie and making it known to him that she has become smitten with him. Natalie McQueen captures this aloofness well, particularly during “The History Of Wrong Guys” where Lauren is battling her inner thoughts as she comes to terms with the fact that whilst she has a history of falling for the wrong guy all the time, by the end of the song she’s found a new confidence that ensures she’ll not only excel in her new role, but will succeed in finally landing herself with the right guy.
Another favourite character is Lola/Simon (Matt Henry), who as Lola is sassy, witty and not to be messed with, whilst when out of costume and as Simon, he’s still the scared, introvert who as a child was shunned by his own father for wanting to be himself - ie Lola. Whilst I’ve seen a variety of different casts of Kinky Boots, these two roles, along with Killian as Charlie, out-do all others who’ve been in the same roles.
I don’t know how much longer theatres will be forced to stay closed, but I at least know I have these live streams to look forward to. For further information please follow “The Shows Must Go On” channel on YouTube which also has details on how you can donate to the charitable causes each show is in aid of.
Reviewer - Charlotte Davis-Browne
on - 23/12/20
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