KINKY BOOTS (The Shows Must Go Online)*****

 

By Aashiq

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hExrHHLTMf8

Available until: 20^th December, probably 7pm

There’s a lot of talk about feelgood musicals. What people usually mean by that is that they didn’t think it was that good really, but they loved it and they have to justify it in some way so they make up a new word. But this really is a feelgood musical because it’s the type of musical that can make you feel it’s okay to be you.

Not that everyone will agree about that, but IGNORE THE IDIOTS, who’d want to be the kind of person they’d like anyway?

The fact that this show is full of beautiful drag queens is obviously part of why I love it, but it’s not just about the luscious Lola. Or even the shoes. It’s a whole show full of people who aren’t perfect. The main character, Charlie, can be a total twit with an A. Lola lives in a world full of complete and total ‘offspring of unmarried parents’ (you know what I really mean right?) who can’t see that it’s perfectly all right for a man to wear heels and a dress whenever he likes. (I mean, he probably shouldn’t dress like that if he’s going to spend the day climbing trees, not now nearly everyone has a phone with a camera, but apart from that.)

Lauren is a quirky girl who is prone to making rather peculiar noises (though let’s be fair, she works in a shoe factory, shoe factories are full of shoes, I don’t even want to think about what noises I’d be making) and some people might find that strange, if they’re complete and total conformists (there’s a lot of that about). Don has always held certain beliefs about men which are even more wrong than classifying brussels sprouts as food. Trish is labouring under the misapprehension that her social life is more important than shoes. How are you even supposed to have a social life if you’re not wearing the right shoes?. (It’s possible I’m not being entirely serious with my last point.)

George isn’t as young as the others and we all know how prejudiced everyone can be about age. There are some people (but not everyone) who think anyone over 40 is practically dead. I know so many people of forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, even some of eighty or ninety who can walk three steps without falling over (though it does depend on how many beers they’ve had), but it’ll be funny watching the ageist lot reaching forty and having to cope with young people who think they’re on their deathbed.

The characters in Kinky Boots probably all have times when being themselves gets them into a lot of trouble.

But the thing is – and the musical shows that – these people are not doing anything wrong in being themselves and they are valuable as themselves. Kinky Boots makes (almost) everything seem okay. (Except the fact I’ll probably never play Lola. I am NOT okay with that. I was born to play this role. Of course, I’d probably have to live to 200 to play all the roles I was born to play, but that’s just details. And I’m actually glad I was born to play Lola as it means I won’t need to worry about how the bleep I’m supposed to sing Charlie’s song ‘Soul of a Man’. That song makes some of the opera I’ve sung look as easy as Jingle Bells.)

In this musical, Charlie has inherited a shoe factory from his father. He’s never had any interest in it before, but he’s inherited it and it seems right to try to keep it going. He needs something to make the factory stand out as being different from all the others and an idea comes to him when he meets the fabulous Lola.

The book was written by Harvey Fierstein and he’s put together a great story with some fun characters and a really important message, without actually getting too soppy. But I’m not sure about the line spoken to Lola by Charlie, ‘a monumental hole where you should be.’ I don’t think I need to tell you where my mind went. The music and lyrics were written by Cyndi Lauper and there are some incredible songs in Kinky Boots. Loads of unbelievable showstoppers musically which contain a lot of truth lyrically.

The role of Charlie is played by Killian Donnelly, who shows Charlie’s flaws and humanity and absolutely slays every single song. Matt Henry is a divine Lola, with the sass, the legs and the heart to make him perfect for the role. The young actors playing their younger selves, Charlie Underhill (Charlie) and Temba Mliswa (Lola) are not so much stars in the making as already stars.

Natalie McQueen is an adorable Lauren who is full of fizz and bounce (not that kind of bounce. She might have had that too, but I was too busy eyeing up Lola to notice). Cordelia Farnworth plays Nicola as a silly girl who doesn’t really understand Charlie, rather than a complete and utter bovine.

Sean Needham negotiates Don’s problems without making him look too awful, Anna Stolli is a fiery Trish, and Jordan Fox’s Harry is definitely someone I wouldn’t mind getting to know a little better. And not just because he might be able to get me free shoes.