Kinky Boots Review at London Coliseum

After a tremendously successful reincarnation at Leicester Curve, followed by a European Tour, Kinky Boots has strutted its way into the West End. Has it retained its previous heart and glory? To some extent, yes, and it’s as glitzy and glamorous as you’d hope for.  

Kinky Boots stormed the box office when it made its West End debut at the Adelphi in 2015, where it played until 2019.  Following Charlie Price as he inherits his family’s shoe factory, he desperately tries to work out how to save the factory from closing, when he meets Lola, a cabaret star and drag queen, and their lives are changed forever. Based on the 2005 film, Harvey Fierstein has brought the much-adored story to the stage, with music by Cyndi Lauper. It is a tale of inclusion, activism and acceptance, in the most heartwarming of ways. 

Performances – 3 /5 ⭐️

The success of the revival of Kinky Boots is thanks to the incredible ensemble and supporting roles. The ensemble consists of both the factory workers and Lola’s angels – who bring energy, joy and sequins to the stage. Lola’s angels are divinely beautiful in their performances. The factory workers juxtapose the angels excellently – which aids the story with great success. As a collective they bring the show to life and create so much joy throughout the musical numbers with their dancing.  

Supporting the leads are Courtney Bowman as Lauren, the hopeless romantic working in Charlie’s factory, and Scott Paige as George. Despite not being on stage as a comedy duo, both of their comedic choices throughout the show really make them standout performances. Bowman is a force to be reckoned with in the West End, and her portrayal as Lauren is no exception – her understanding of the character is so honest and caring, yet married with such comedy gold, it’s an utter joy to watch her.  

Johannes Radebe makes his musical debut as the iconic Lola. A headstrong performer, who clearly hadn’t had the easiest upbringing, Lola is an exceptional character, and an important one to have on the West End – and Radebe’s understanding and care for the role shines throughout. It is no secret that Radebe is a talented dancer, and this is honoured throughout the show. Their overall performance was strong – and their singing was a pleasantly raw and honest take on the role.  

Matt Cardle takes on the role of Charlie Price, the struggling and confused heir of the shoe factory. Unsure if this is what life had in store for him, Charlie tries to continue his family’s legacy whilst understanding the world of drag queens in a place where they’ve not previously been welcomed. Cardle is renowned for his vocals, and they shine on his solo tracks in the show, bringing power to the songs such as “Soul of a Man”. However, Cardle’s acting through the songs and in some of the scenes was quite rigid, and detracted from the character’s interactions with other characters, sadly making it tricky to engage with the story at times.  

Story & Writing – 5 /5 ⭐️

Kinky Boots is an exceptional story, and Fienstein brings it to the stage with all the care and understanding you’d hope for. It’s slick, witty and well-paced, but manages to retain the heart and meaning of the story. You can’t help but fall in love with Lola and the angels, and it approaches hard topics with great consideration, making them have an impact without them being forced down the audience’s throat. It addresses challenging opinions and highlights the importance of inclusion. Lauper’s music is the cherry on top for the show. It provides energy and all the glamour of the cabaret and drag worlds, whilst contrasting with soft solo moments to express every emotion from each side of the story.  

We see the difficulties of both worlds, and their struggle to come together, but their willing to accept and adapt. It is a special show that celebrates and champions inclusion. 

Direction & Production 4 /5 ⭐️ 

Directed by Nikolai Foster, this revival of Kinky Boots has brought new energy and air to the show – feeling nostalgic without imitating. The production and staging overall are over the top glitzy and excellently fills the Coliseum space – which is not an easy feat. However, some of the costumes, when both the factory workers and angels are on stage together, are slightly too “samey” in colours, which makes it hard to differentiate in some scenes, which feels a shame to lose some of the striking contrasts.  

Entertainment Value – 3 /5 ⭐️

Kinky Boots is a heartwarming story and will no doubt get people dancing along by the end, thanks to the brilliant score and plot. Although there are some stellar performances throughout and an exceptional ensemble, the main duo struggle to convey connection or their own emotions to the extent you’d hope for. This sadly leaves the overwhelming feeling a little off the mark.  

Overall Experience  

There is no doubt that Kinky Boots will have a successful run whilst in the West End, and there are many elements I truly enjoyed. It is full of heart and joy, and it is evident that the audience left with big grins after the show. However, there were a few elements that just fell short, leaving the experience a little underwhelming despite how grand the production was.  

Where I Sat  

I sat in E15 of the Dress Circle. I thought it was an excellent view and I didn’t miss any part of the show. The Coliseum is an epic venue, and insanely large, with a very deep orchestra pit before the stage even starts, so it can feel like you are a million miles away from it as a result. However, the staging and choreography do make excellent use of the space and really utilise the grandeur to its benefit – not shying away from the scale. I didn’t feel as if the stage was empty at any point, and the direction ensures the characters are kept heavily downstage. The only element I’d question is the staging of Charlie’s office in the factory. This is an elevated section upstage left – and we just about had visibility of this; however, I’d be surprised if people in the Grand Circle or higher, or more to the right side of the Dress Circle, could see this section. I imagine from the stalls this would be a clever use of creating staging interest over levels, but given how far back it is, it does prove a risk to cut off a fairly significant chunk of the performances. Otherwise, I really enjoyed my seat and think it is an excellent viewpoint.

Have You Seen Kinky Boots?

Did this new take on Kinky Boots fill the void left by the original West End production, or did it not quite rise to the occasion? Add your review to SeatPlan and let everyone know what you thought. You’ll even earn points towards theatre vouchers if you add a seat photo!