What does a failing shoe factory in Nothampton have to do with a 'fabulous' drag queen in London? The answer is simple... kinky boots! Based on real events, and turned into a high-kicking feel-good musical by Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper, this musical is fast becoming something of a cult show, and it isn't hard to see why.
Just as 'La Cage Aux Folles' created a sensation in the 1970s and 1980s (again written by Fierstein!), this show is the modern equivalent in many ways. Both sides of the sexuality spectrum meet, and after the occasional face-off and misgivings, find that there is actually very little difference between them and the show ends with love, understanding, and respect for all.
Played on a base set of the shoe factory interior with only a few further set pieces to bring on and off for other locations, the musical was swift and slick, and the stage and set were used imaginatively and creatively throughout. I enjoyed the moving of the ladders to a second level door, and the drag queens' entrance on the conveyor belt. The music (directed by Tom Guest) was offstage and unseen, but aurally very pleasing and producing the right 'feel' for the show; whilst Laura Floyd excelled in her wonderful choreography. The routines were all appropriate and showed great imagination in utilising each cast members' individual talents but creating truly ensemble routines, and always with a lovely picture ending. Dave Moreton's directing was never over-the-top, always grounded, and I loved the much smaller, almost imperceptible little gestures or vocal intonations given to certain characters which ameliorated their roles and made them all-the-more human and believable.
Mike Miller was our protagonist; a fourth generation Price, Charlie, the now owner of a shoe business that was quite literally, on its heels, vowing to turn the company round by any means possible. I felt Miller struggled a little vocally with the higher rock-voice parts of Lauper's score, but his sensitivity and sincerity as a performer won us all over. John Dean's Lola / Simon role was easily the most demanding, and Dean proved beyond doubt this evening that not only was he a most proficient and excellent dancer but a jolly decent triple threat. As Drag Queen Lola he was quite obviously completely in his element and enjoying every fab-u-lous moment dahlink (!); whilst as Simon, he was uncomfortable and insecure showing real vulnerability, and his fully-rounded and intense performance this evening was superbly measured.
Charlie's fiancee Nicola, was played with frustrated patience (if that isn't too much of an oxymoron) by Lorna Shakespeare-Smyth, whilst on the other end of the spectrum completely, giving a larger-than-life and highly comedic turn as factory-girl-in-love-with-the-boss Lauren, was Phil Shellard, providing us with much of the comedy in the show with accomplished skill.
Two other cast members who absolutely deserve a special mention are Factory Foreman, Don (Ian Moore), and Factory Manager, George (Arthur Hulse). Both Moore and Hulse brought gravitas and realism to a show which could have otherwise been seen as frivolity and fantasy. Both were utterly believable in their respective roles, and I loved Hulse's super bass voice!
In this production of 'Kinky Boots', Lola was aided and abetted by 6 drag queen, collectively known as her 'Angels'. Their role in the show is predominently as dancers, but are also our Milan Fashion Show models too. Sale NOMADS should be rightly proud of and joyful with these six cross-dressing queens strutting their stuff this evening: Stuart Angus, Michael Colclough, Tom Farnworth, Adam Garnett, and Craig Hanson.
The costuming was spot on all evening; but it is such a shame that the same cannot be said about the lighting. There were some routines which were crying out for more glitz and specials, and they never came; whilst the spotlights failed to light the principals' faces at times, or, as was the case in two songs, the light was positioned in completely the wrong place meaning the soloist was singing in the dark, with a pool of light on the wrong side of the stage. However, if the only negative comment I can make about this show is about the lighting, then it is a sure-fire success. The entire cast gave their absolute everything to this production, and it showed. There was a palpable feeling of joy transfusing into the audience throughout. It was abundantly clear that a lot of thought, time, and effort had gone in to creating this spectacle, and it is certainly one of the best productions I have ever seen this society produce; and I left the theatre on a high!
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 28.4.22
on - 28.4.22
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