Kinky Boots strut their stuff at the Garrick!
Kinky Boots the Musical – Review
Lichfield Garrick main auditorium
Sutton Coldfield Musical Theatre Company
Tuesday 21 May 2024
By Jono Oates
During the glam-rock era of the 1970s I can remember watching Top of the Pops and seeing groups like Sweet, Roxy Music and David Bowie tottering around the stage wearing thigh-length leather boots, with chunky heels and bright colours, often waiting for them to crash spectacularly to the ground as their Kinky Boots brought them to their knees!
Kinky Boots the Musical is the latest production from the wonderful Sutton Coldfield Musical Theatre Company (SCMTC), which plays in the main auditorium at the Lichfield Garrick theatre all this week.
Based on a book by Harvey Fierstein, and a 2005 film written by Tim Firth and Geoff Deane, with lyrics and music by the iconic (and truly bonkers!) singer Cyndi Lauper, it premiered at the Bank of America Theatre in Chicago in 2012.
The story is based on real-life events, involving a struggling Northampton-based shoe company (cobblers I hear you shout!), a family-owned business called Price and Sons. When his father dies suddenly young Charlie Price inherits the business and realises it is about to fold unless drastic action takes place. By chance Charlie meets drag queen Lola who has to wear uncomfortable boots that are not made specifically for men dressing as women. Charlie spots that there is a gap in the market for a unique item that no one else is exploiting and he recruits Lola to the company to help him design…Kinky Boots!
The work force at Price and Sons are initially non-plussed at the change in production and his girlfriend Nicola is horrified at his actions as she wants to sell the factory to a property developer, but despite the opposition Charlie and Lola continue with their endeavour, targeting a prestigious Milan fashion event to premiere their new range of glitzy boots. As their working relationship comes under strain, and the workforce rebels, will Charlie and Lola’s Kinky Boots be the star of the show, or will they be an enormous (flip)-flop?
The storyline of Kinky Boots is very easy to follow and crackles along at a great pace, with a liberal sprinkling of songs to keep it buzzing along. I wasn’t really aware that Cyndi Lauer was a noted songwriter to be honest, and didn’t know any of the numbers in the show, but it’s a very impressive song-list. It contains all of the elements that you would expect from a musical – the power ballads, the catchy pop songs and the anthemic ensemble pieces, and Lauder’s ability to provide both the lyrics and the songs (often these are shared with another collaborator) is truly impressive, especially as this was her first foray into writing a musical. All of the tunes are easy to pick-up and I was humming along, and foot-tapping, with lots of them by the end of the show. Land of Lola, Price and Son theme, Everybody Say Yeah are all great, Not My Father’s Son, sung by Chalie and Lola, a lament that they are not following in their father’s footsteps, is so sweet and tender, but powerful and truly emotional, and the closing Raise You Up / Just Be by the whole ensemble is exactly the rousing finish that every musical truly deserves – you will definitely be shouting for more! –
Lovely performances throughout the very experienced SCMTC cast. Simon Price is played by Patrick Jervis, who has taken the lead, and supporting roles, in many SCMTC productions as well as with other local amateur drama groups. Patrick strikes the right balance of the vulnerable factory owner, well aware of the family legacy he has inherited and the duty he owes to his late father, but knowing that he has to make changes to the traditional values of the company. Daniel Surj, making his SCMTC debut, is FAB_U_LOUS as Lola / Simon, a very impressive vocal performance, some of the best one-liners of the show, and the backroom team work wonders providing the dazzling array of quick-fire costume and make-up changes, they are often the unsung, and unseen, heroes of amateur dramatics! A very sensitive performance from Daniel, which could easily have descended into a pastiche of a drag queen, it’s a very entertaining performance throughout.
Great support comes from Sarah Jordan as Charlie’s girlfriend Nicola, Charlotte Jervis as office worker Lauren, who finds herself falling in love with Charlie, Chelsea Regan as Pat, Louise Grifferty as Trish and Tony Orbell as put-upon office manager George, a regular of SCMTC in supporting roles, Tony is always good value in every role. Paul Lumsden is grumpy, insensitive and sexist Don (he’s not at all like that in real-life!) who strongly objects to making the kinky boots and does all he can to scupper the plans. Special mention to two younger actors, Ewan Toll who plays the young Charlie and Joe Thomas who plays the young Lola / Simon. Finally, a shout out to Lola’s backing performers, Lola’s Angels, who are a combination of male actors playing women and female actors playing, well, women – see if you can spot which is which!
The director of the performance is Kerrie Penrice, the lively choreography is by Maggie Jackson, the musical director is Sheila Pearson and musical director / conductor is Andy Timmins – if you are in the front few rows, you can see the orchestra at work, which I always feel is a bit of a bonus.
Kinky Boots is definitely a feel-good production, expertly carried out by SCMTC, its bright, colourful and full of fun, especially in the ensemble pieces. There are also, as usual with musicals, some underlying stories as well as the main script – the duty that we feel as children to honour and respect our parents, the legacy of an inherited business and the pressures that come about when you are responsible for the welfare of others, the understanding of others who do not conform to the general ‘norm’, the love of people for who they are, not from pre-c0nceived ideas based upon their appearance, loyalty and dedication to those you love, etc.
I’d definitely recommend Kinky Boots, it’s a great evening’s entertainment – and if you remember the 1970s it will definitely remind you of those glam-rock stars who strutted across the Top of the Pops studio in their very own…Kinky Boots!
Kinky Boots the Musical runs at the Lichfield Garrick, main auditorium, from Wednesday 22 to Saturday 25 May, performances start nightly at 7.30pm, with a matinee on Saturday 25 at 2.30pm.
Tickets start from £16 and can be booked by visiting the Garrick Box Office (during usual opening times), ringing 01543 412121 or booking online at:
**performance contains adult themes and language; the Lichfield Garrick recommend it is suitable for ages 12+.
