Kinky Boots

Anytime you leave a theatre feeling far better than when you entered it, you’ve seen a good show. Kinky Boots is a good show. It’s warm, feel-good, full of heart, not too preachy and with some wonderful performances. All good. It isn’t the best musical ever written. It lacks the innovation and originality of Matilda or Hamilton. It isn’t thought provoking like Spring Awakening or Next To Normal, and it doesn’t have the melodies of Rogers and Hammerstein, but it’s infinitely better than much of what we have been offered of late. Plus, there is excellent direction and knockout choreography from Jerry Mitchell. It’s good entertainment, and I mean that in the best way.

Based on the 2005 feature film which starred our own Joel Edgerton and the remarkable Chiwetel Ejifor, which was more offbeat and less glamorised, it tells the story of the fight to save a top of the range men’s shoes factory by changing the major product to sexy women’s boots for drag performers. Best of all, the story is true.

Though the amazing Billy Porter played Lola on Broadway (he’s also played Elphaba and the witch in Into The Woods), Australia is privileged to see a young superstar in the making in 20 year old Callum Francis, who is nothing short of sensational as Lola, and heartbreaking as Simon, the boy who doesn’t feel right in his own skin. When he sings the poignant I’m Not My Father’s Son, it’s the key moment in the show. This is a genuine triple threat who can make you hold your breath in surprise, an all round wonderful performance.

Supporting him as the Drag Queen Angels are six of the most talented young leading men - all triple threats (Euan Doidge was last seen as Marius in Les Mis. He’s joined by Blake Appelqvist of the astonishing voice, and great dancers in Mitchell Woodcock, Ryan Gonzalez and Mark Stefanoff and a gift from Broadway in James Delisco Beeks). Super-skilled dancers and singers, the stage lights up with every entrance.

Co-starring with Lola as Charlie is Toby Francis (no relation), who shows great promise as a leading man. His light tenor voice handles the pop numbers beautifully (though his singing with an American accent is disconcerting) and he will settle into the role as the season progresses. Right now he seems tentative, and awkward in the scenes driven by his acting alone. He is best when sharing the stage with Lola, and the two actors have tremendous rapport – a real Bro-mance.

The rest of the cast is excellent, though often there isn’t enough for them to do. Sophie Wright (Lauren) is wonderfully comic, and Tegan Wouters (Nicola) lends her wealth of experience as the two love interests for Charlie, though Wouters has no chance to show off her fabulous voice. Other great supporting performances come from Dan Williston (Don) and Nathan Carter (George).

But it’s a star turn. It comes alive when Lola enters, and so the first fifteen minutes seems rather flat and lethargic. The energy level triples and the show really hits its stride from the number The Sex Is In The Heels. The band, under the direction of Luke Hunter, is exceptional throughout, and Greg Barnes’ costumes are the best we have seen for some time, particularly the Kinky Boots themselves.

I do have reservations though. The show’s weaknesses are its book and its music.

If that sounds paradoxical in a musical, it’s because Fierstein’s book is full of cheap, overworked, and no longer funny gags that he seems to have used in every show since Torch Song Trilogy. The drama of the second act isn’t fully developed and the show becomes much more of a platform for Lola and gay tolerance than the film, which gave equal weight to Charlie and Lola, and more exploration of tolerance on ANY level. With 90% of the story stuffed into Act One, there’s not a lot in Act Two except colour and movement. Cyndi Lauper’s score is patchy. Some lyrics are clever, but more often than not they are banal or clichéd. And the melodies work within the context of the show, but won’t stay with you long enough to make it to the car park or bus stop. Don’t expect gems like Time After Time or True Colours. Just sit back and enjoy the entertainment with a box of choccies -it won’t stretch you, but you won’t be disappointed.

Coral Drouyn

Photographer: Matthew Murphy