Kinky Boots

SMTC really pulled out all the stops with this production and succeeded magnificently, delivering a fabulous, moving and funny show. Through the combined skills of the Director (Karen Woolley), Musical Director (Nick Stewart) and the performers, the production managed brilliantly to bring out both the comedy and the powerful emotions of the story. It made accessible the serious themes dealt with in the writing while also providing spectacle and joy.

The quality of the show was evident from the curtain-up with the very impressive set and It wasn’t only the scale and detail of the factory exterior and interior which gave the ‘wow’ factor; it was also the skill and efficiency of the stage management team in moving them smoothly and seamlessly around the stage as the action of the story shifted from one location to another. The outside of the factory was transformed to the inside in moments and for Charlie’s and Harry’s scene in a pub, a flat in the corner of the stage was wheeled speedily around to create the wallpapered bar setting, with the addition of a table and chairs. Charlie’s flat in London was created equally smoothly and efficiently with the turn of a flat on the other side of the stage. Early on, when Charlie took over the management of the factory, a rack containing a vast array of shoe boxes was wheeled around, and towards the end a travelator was brought on stage for the appearance of The Angels modelling the new boots. This was then divided into three and those three sections wheeled around the stage while the factory workers danced around it and over it – all very impressive.

The lighting enhanced the atmosphere and spectacle, as when Charlie, firing his staff, was brightly lit while Lola and The Angels were, at the same time, bathed in red and purple lighting; and with the tight focus of light on Lola and Charlie as they sang ‘I’m Not My Father’s Son’. The use of a dry-ice/smoke effect during this number puzzled me slightly but it was used later on to great effect during Hold Me In Your Heart when Lola/Simon sang to his father, echoing that earlier use and making a link between the songs. The superb panoply of costumes were, if anything, even more atmospheric and spectacular; in particular those of The Angels and the fashion parade, and the sheer quantity and quality of the eponymous ‘kinky boots’, plus Lola’s amazing and extensive wardrobe, but the strength was across the board – all of the characters on stage were enhanced by their costumes.

The Band was equally superb and a crucial element of the show’s ‘wow’ factor. Their skill and professionalism was faultless and they provided a solid and stirring (to mix metaphorical adjectives) bedrock for the musical numbers. If I were to offer one  constructive criticism it would be that they were on occasion, to my ear at least, too loud for the balance with the singers, sometimes making it a little hard to hear the words of the singers. This may, though, have had something to do with the sound quality of the microphone / amplification system for the singers and I understand that this is something the Society is addressing.

In addition to the overall spectacle of the show there were plenty of nice touches that added to the emotional effect or the humour, such as the air pump used by Lauren at one point to blow her hair back in rock star video style, or the staging of the boxing match, done in slow motion and with the simple but strikingly effective technique of a rope held by cast members, incorporating one angle, to create the impression of the boxing ring.

The ensembles of the factory workers and the Angels were central to the show and the performances and direction here were bravura. The reactions of the factory workers when Charlie had a go at Lola were spot-on, for example, and the way in which they interacted with each other during the song This is Step One was very convincing and impressive. Congratulations to them and to The Angels, and also to the Choreographer who moved them so evocatively and powerfully around the stage, as when they were dancing over and around the travelator to the song Yeah. This provided a strong and rousing end to the first half, and an even more stirring close to the whole show was generated with the fashion parade and the musical number Raise You Up. The choreography was very effective, starting off fairly simply and becoming more complex as the song went on, building up the intensity and the power.

If the ensembles provided the foundations for the emotional power and resonance of the show, the other characters built upon this to create a detailed, strong and impressive edifice. Don presented superbly both aggression and contrition; George, the factory manager, was convincingly earnest and dedicated and also showed a fine singing voice in his short solo song (We Can Make It). Charlie’s Father and Richard Bailey (both parts played by the same actor) were relatively small roles but made a very strong mark on the show through the power of the performances.

Pat had just the right amount of ‘attitude’ as the office manager and was very well played. Lauren gave an excellent performance which was both very funny and very moving. Her song I Think I’m Falling was full of powerful emotion and at one point she did a brilliant comedic turn with an air-pump blowing back her hair, rock-star style, and included a bit of Pete Townshend air-guitar windmilling. The Milan Stage Manager was also very good and very funny, and Nicola was great as Charlie Price’s partner, particularly when she confronted Charlie in a state of distress and anger about their flat being mortgaged to fund the factory. Harry was excellent as Charlie’s friend and sang a wonderful duet with him (Take What You Got).

Charlie and Lola/Simon gave stand-out performances. Both excelled in their characterisations and both succeeded magnificently in bringing out, in those characterisations, not only the powerful emotions but also the humour. Charlie was very moving when trying to persuade Lola to stay on at the factory to design the boots, and his emotional soliloquy song (Soul Of A Man) was one of the highlights of the show – he put his all into it and it was very powerful and impressive. Another strong song was his energetic and punchy Step One and in Not My Father’s Son he sang a great harmony with Lola/Somon. In Yeah he really showed his dancing skills.

Lola/Simon’s performance was a brilliant, astonishing, riveting, tour-de-force. The character was clearly and fully realised and the attitude and energy were electric, from the start with the very powerful song Shazam and maintained throughout. The performer’s acting, singing and dancing were of a high professional standard, bringing to life  the humour and comedy as well  the deep, raw emotion.  Lola/Simon’s songs were highlights of the show, in particular I’m Not My Father’s Son and Hold Me In Your Heart,  and the moment when Lola/Simon put his hand on his father’s shoulder in the care home was very powerful indeed.

Congratulations to you and thank you very much for a wonderful evening.

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