Kinky Boots UK Tour - Theatre Royal Plymouth - Review

After proving a massive hit for a number of years in London’s West End, and enjoying a previous UK Tour, it was well celebrated news when it was announced that ‘Kinky Boots’ would once again be strutting its way up and down the country with a new ‘Made at Curve’ production. And the excitement only grew and grew when the news that Strictly Come Dancing favourite, pro dancer Johannes Radebe, would be making their musical theatre debut in the role of Lola.

And, long story short, this new production shines with sass and grit in its sole (yes, that is a shoe pun!).

Based, loosely, on a true story, Kinky Boots tells the tale of a shoe factory down on its luck. Charlie (played here by Dan Partridge) inherits his father’s struggling men’s shoe factory when a chance meeting with the fabulous drag queen Lola (Radebe) sends him down a new path; making a range of shoes for women who are men. What follows is a voyage of discovery, of learning to accept others for who they are and learning what you really want to do with your life, even if it’s not what you originally had in mind.

 Whilst they may be best known as a pro dancer on the BBC hit series Strictly Come Dancing, I firmly believe that Johannes Radebe has a strong future ahead of them as a musical theatre performer. As Lola, they are simply a revelation. Radebe takes to the stage with a seemingly effortless grace and confidence, performing with a perfect balance of sass and emotion. And yes, those fabulous dancing feet are given the opportunity to get a work out too.

Dan Partridge takes to the role of Charlie Price like a duck to water, illustrating the transformation from shy and awkward to confident and passionate with ease whilst impressing greatly with his vocals, especially in Act 2 power number ‘Soul of a Man’. Charlie is that flawed character, the young man who makes questionable decisions and, at times, may allow emotion to take control leading him to say things he may not mean, but that is what makes an audience cheer him on. We want to see him succeed, learn from mistakes and difficulties of his past.

As factory worker Lauren, Courtney Bowman earns many a laugh. Lauren is cheeky, full of fun and bubbles but yet she is a force to be reckoned with, for she is the force that pushes people into pushing themselves. Joe Caffrey’s Don, with his ‘stuck in his ways, a man must act like a man’ attitude is the personification of how a person can grow whilst Scott Paige’s George and Kathryn Barnes’ Pat have the audience in stitches throughout with their wickedly funny comments.

Lola’s Angels, a fantastic gang of drag queens, prove popular with the audience, complete with fabulous dance moves and laugh out loud moments. Whilst those who saw the London production may comment that the Angels, in terms of their costumes and style, may not appear as glamourous in this new production, I believe that there is a reason for this. The story on which Kinky Boots is loosely based took place in a late nineties, and the angels here feel as if they really fit into that time. They appear as if fighting to be who they want to be, rather than what society expects them to be, celebrating themselves with joy and light. And having George (Paige) and Mr Price (Jonathan Drydan Taylor) double up as Angels was a genius move for comedic effect.

 The industrial looking set, complete with steel beams that light up a multitude of different colours throughout, steam filled factory workings and a large shoe display places the action deeply within the drab and gritty surroundings of a nineties Northampton factory. The dull colouring of the factory and the local pub contrasts greatly with Lola’s club and the introduction of bursts of colour with Lola and the angels appearances works brilliantly well. Little details, such as Charlie using a phone complete with an aerial, again places this production of Kinky Boots into the nineties timeline.

The roles of young Charlie and Lola were only really seen in the opening number in the London production and previous tour, but here we see them much more often. The young boys are used almost as shadows of the adult Charlie and Lola’s past, a personification of just how far they have come and an illustration that behind the drag queen persona, behind the worry of a factory owner at risk of losing it all, are just two boys who wanted to make their fathers proud. A clever decision.

 The music, penned by Cyndi Lauper, is brilliant. It is earworm after earworm, and I can guarantee that you will still be humming days after seeing this production. Stand out musical moments including ‘Raise You Up’, ‘History of the Wrong Guys’ and the powerful ‘Not My Fathers Son’. I must also praise the decision to pair the wickedly catchy ‘What A Women Wants’ with Radebe’s dance skill, giving the number a Paso Doble feel.

Overall, Kinky Boots delights and thoroughly entertains with its heartfelt story of love, acceptance, and celebrating individuality.  With terrific performances throughout and songs that will stick with you, what’s not to love?