Much thought and attention to detail have gone into this revival of Kinky Boots the Musical – the massive London Coliseum stage is used well, while some nifty stage design ensures more intimate scenes aren’t swallowed up. In these days of belt-tightening and thrift, whatever the underlying causes may be, this inspiring story of a footwear factory being saved from bankruptcy and becoming yet another building repurposed as ‘luxury apartments’ gives people hope and inspiration.
Set in the 1990s, the show’s messages of inclusivity and togetherness work – but only up to a point for London audiences in the 2020s. “Ladies, gentlemen, and those who have yet to make up their minds”, comes the sassy introduction from Lola (Johannes Radebe). But what of those who have made up their minds and identify neither as a lady nor a gentleman? The production does well to make the most of what tools it has to be as welcoming as it can be, whilst retaining the storyline’s identity from a previous era. Thus, ranting from Charlie Price (Matt Cardle) about drag queen Lola’s conduct in the face of pressing deadlines prior to an international trade fair had a silent response from the gala performance audience. I’ve been at performances of previous productions of Kinky Boots where Charlie was booed – here, the context and the time period in which it was set seemed to be understood. It’s a world that doesn’t really exist anymore.
The production is headlined by a pair not predominantly known as actors: the Wikipedia entries for Johannes Radebe and Matt Cardle describe them, respectively, as a “dancer and choreographer” and a “singer”. As you know, they are probably most well-known for their Saturday night television appearances, Radebe as a professional dancer on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing, and Cardle as the winner of the seventh series of The X Factor. There are nods to both in the second half, with a pirouette or two from Lola during a boxing match, and Charlie taking his shirt off and singing ‘Soul of a Man’ (Soul? Sole? Shoe factory? Geddit?) in a vest. Their spoken dialogue, between them, is perhaps some of the most stilted one would ever encounter in a West End musical. The dancing and singing, however, more than compensate.
There are show-stealing moments from Lauren (Courtney Bowman), whose rendering of ‘The History of Wrong Guys’ brought the house down, and from Scott Paige’s George, a larger-than-life stage presence. I’ve been told the Coliseum’s acoustics are not the best, and can be quite terrible depending on where you sit. All I can say is that from the centre of the dress circle, I heard everything with crystal clarity – and some of the lyrics in Kinky Boots are delivered at pace.
Some would assert that standing ovations are overrated these days, but I would still venture to suggest that when a show receives one before the final number has even finished, it’s doing something right. Joyous and uplifting, Kinky Boots is just the tonic in an increasingly divided and divisive world.
Review by Chris Omaweng
When Charlie Price inherits his family’s failing shoe factory, saving the company – and his love life – feels like an impossibly tall order. Until, that is, he meets Lola, the sparkling, larger-than-life drag queen with the unlikeliest of answers. Can they work together to reboot the business and save the day? Perhaps they just need to help each other – and everyone around them – to stand a little taller…
Lola – Johannes Radebe
Charlie Price – Matt Cardle
Alternate Lola – Tosh Wanogho-Maud
Lauren – Courtney Bowman
Nicola – Billie-Kay
Don – Billy Roberts
Pat – Rachel Izen
Trish – Jessica Daley
Mr Price / Angel – Jonathan Dryden Taylor
George – Scott Paige
Harry – Liam Doyle
Simon Sr and Angel – Nay-Nay
Ensemble and Resident Director – Andy Barke
Angel and Ensemble – Keith Alexander, Nathan Daly, Kofi Dennis, Ru Fisher, Darnell Mathew-James, Ashley-Jordon Packer
Angel, Ensemble and Dance Captain – Liam McEvoy
Ensemble – Kathryn Barnes, Cerys Burton, Kaya Farrugia
On-Stage Swing and Fight Captain – Cole Dunn
On-Stage Swing – Annell Odartey
Off-Stage Swing, Associate Choreographer and Fight Captain – Jordan Isaac
Off-Stage Swing – Tori McDougall
Young Charlie – Archie John Allen, Joshua Beswick, Louis Cohen, Callum George
Young Lola – Sean Garcia Madiba, Noah Ronkainen Phillips, Rio-Blake Power
Book by Harvey Fierstein
Music and Lyrics by Cyndi Lauper
Original Broadway Arrangements and Orchestrations by Stephen Oremus
Direction by Nikolai Foster
Choreography by Leah Hill
Set Design by Robert Jones
Lighting Design by Ben Cracknell
Sound Design by Adam Fisher
Costume Design by Robert Jones and Tom Rogers
Musical Supervision by George Dyer
Casting by Harry Blumeanu CDG
Wigs, Hair and Make Up Design by Campbell Young Associates
Associate Direction by Michaela Powell
KINKY BOOTS THE MUSICAL
London Coliseum
17 March to 11 July 2026
