Kinky Boots The Musical is a luminous testament to resilience, identity, and radical empathy. Born from a BBC2 documentary chronicling a Northampton shoe factory’s unexpected metamorphosis, this musical lifts itself from entertainment to a poignant narrative of human connection.
Created by Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein who alchemise this story into a theatrical experience that is uproarious and moving. The production revolves around the complex terrains of masculinity, acceptance, and artistic reinvention with a nuanced touch that celebrates and challenges societal constructs.
The evening’s performance was spectacular, full on, high octane, emotionally engaging entertainment—my companion was moved to tears by its utterly charming emotional journey, the whole audience up on their feet full of warm applause, while I remained curiously untouched. Perhaps this says more about me than the production’s capacity for empathetic storytelling.
Kinky Boots at its core is about radical inclusivity. The cast represents a glorious spectrum of talent—performers of diverse shapes, ages, and backgrounds demolish traditional performative boundaries. Dan Partridge‘s Charlie Price is excellent, infusing the character with a magnetic charm that transforms what could be a mundane narrative into a electrifying exploration of personal and professional transformation.
Scott Paige‘s George and Courtney Bowman‘s Lauren deliver performances of exquisite emotional depth, each representing facets of personal growth. The production refuses simplistic narratives, instead offering a subtle meditation on how genuine understanding emerges through vulnerability and genuine human connection.
Newtion Matthews transforms Lola from a character into a profound philosophical proposition. His interpretation transcends traditional drag performance, crafting a nuanced portrayal that destabilises gender binaries. Neither effeminate nor conventionally masculine, Matthews emerges as a complex ‘whole’, their presence an act of radical performative critique. Vocally, he is extraordinary—his range a complex emotional landscape. Lauper’s compositions become vehicles for deep introspection, with Matthews delivering each song as a layered meditation on identity, vulnerability, and resistance. His performance represents Lola; deconstructs and reimagines performative selfhood.
With Matthews at its transformative core, Kinky Boots is a provocative social intervention disguised as entertainment. It challenges audiences to deconstruct their preconceptions, celebrate difference, and recognise the extraordinary potential residing in marginalised experiences.
The set and costumes rock, a fabulous clash of grime and glitter, Robert Jones deserves a shoutout! The costumes are like industrial realness had a love child with haute couture, some gorgeous step ups and the drag fraternity frocks are fierce, with details to die for. Leah Hill‘s choreography is a visceral narrative of liberation, seamlessly bridges industrial precision and drag performance’s exuberant fluidity, making the ensemble sequences a dialogue of identity and transformation, and oh so super camp!
For those seeking theatrical experiences that simultaneously entertain, challenge, and transform, Kinky Boots is an absolute must-see. Leave your expectations at the door and prepare to be magnificently surprised.
Until Sat 29th March
For more info or to book a ticket see the Theater Royal Brightons’ website.
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