Review by: Paul Towers, 21/11/18
Kinky Boots – Harvey Feirstein & Cyndi Lauper
A Cameron Mackintosh presentation
Adelphi Theatre until 12 January 2019
“funny, musical and energetic.”
The 2005 film introduced us to Lola and how she saved Price’s
shoes, the struggling Northampton footwear factory. In my opinion the film was
quite bland and fell very short of the story’s potential for fun. The musical
rectifies this in spades.
Harvey Fierstein (he of Torch Song Trilogy and Hairspray fame)
provides a script that fizzes with fun and pathos, especially when addressing
contentious issues and bigotry.
Cyndi Lauper’s soundtrack is punchy pop interwoven with
ballads.
Graham Kent as Charlie Price, unwilling inheritor of the
ailing shoe factory, is suitably square and rather hog tied by his girlfriend, Nicola
(Cordelia Farnworth) who wants to see to a property developer and move to the
bright lights of London. Enter the extraordinary Lola (Simon-Anthony Rohden), local
drag queen and cabaret artiste in need of stilettoes that last more than one
night. It’s a match made in heaven. Eventually.
Helped by Lola’s Angels (drag queens from her show) the factory
is saved and the orders come flooding in.
By adding musical numbers and exploring Lola’s cabaret act
this show becomes a dazzlingly funny, musical and energetic experience.
Kinky Boots closes at The Adelphi on January 12th
but has been touring nationwide since September and continues until at least July
2019
http://ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk/
No comments:
Post a Comment