I went to New York in September last year and this is one of the shows I went to see. My blog is normally dedicated to London's West End, but it has recently been announced that there are plans to bring this show to London at some point in 2014 or 2015. Because of this I thought Id go ahead and review this show now. Ill do an updated review in the future when I see the West End version whenever the show transfers here.
This show was, in a word, unbelievable. I made no notes at the show to help with this review, as I had no intention on reviewing it. To be honest though I don't really need notes. Its been almost four months since I saw the show, but its still as fresh in my mind as the moment I left the theatre. With its wonderful sets, great cast, glorious songs and fabulous drag queens, what's not to love? I went to see the show with a little trepidation. You see, I am an big fan of the Kinky Boots film which was released in 2005. The film, I believe, is brilliantly acted and has some fantastic music in it. Its a film full of love and sadness, prejudice and comedy. Overwhelmingly though its a film full of messages. firstly to accept people who are different. Secondly, to not judge people on first impressions before you get to know them. Lastly and most importantly, 'the sex is in the heel'. I know that last one, to those of you who are unfamiliar with the Kinky Boots story, might seem a little odd but trust me, it was a brilliant comedic reference.
Let me start with a brief outline of the story. A Northampton shoe factory owner finds that his business in failing. He goes to London to sell excess stock. Through various events and with influence from a London drag queen, he ends up making shoes for drag queens and transvestites. An odd story I know and a bit unbelievable, but believe it or not but its actually based on a true story. Some may say it doesn't sound like the most interesting story for a film, or even a musical, but trust me when I say it works.
It will be surprising to a lot of people reading this, that the main drag queen was played by Chiwetel Ejiofor. Many may know him from films such as 2012, Inside Man and Love Actually. At the moment he is in the news for is upcoming film 12 Years A Slave. As well as his work in film, and a couple of TV roles, he has also performed on stage. Most notably as the title role in Othello, for which he received the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in 2008. Most of his roles he has played to date have been very masculine. Understandably for the role of a drag queen however, he had to explore his feminine side. He had to do it in a way however that was sympathetic and inoffensive to the transvestite and drag queen communities. I have seen him interviewed about the film, where he has said that the extras and background artists in the bar/club scenes, who were themselves members of the relative communities, were very complimentary of his performance. I would have to agree with them. He seems like a completely different actor compared to any of his other work. For me that is most definitely a sign of a fantastic and versatile actor.
Chiwetel's portrayal of Lola was fantastic and I was unsure if it could be matched, or even beaten, on stage. Billy Porter took up this challenge. His career has taken place in America so I am completely unfamiliar with his back catalogue of work. I was able to see a few rehearsal videos of rehearsals on the shows website and I was convinced that at the very least I wouldn't be disappointed. The one and only issue I had, and its so tiny, is that at 44 he might have been a little old for the role. After all, Chiwetel was just 28 when he appeared in the film. Mr Porter however exceeded my expectations. He was brilliant. I wouldn't go so far as to say he was better than Chiwetel, but he was playing it completely differently so I find it hard to compare their performances with one another.
The other drag queens in the show were, in a word, fabulouse. Some were so 'fishy' (drag queens that could esealy pass for biological women) it was almost unbelievable. Their dancing was second to none and in no way distracted from the story being told. The set was utterly brilliant. I feel that may be as Broadway spends slightly more money on its shows than the West End. It really added to the telling of the story and was like another character in it self.
The only disappointment I had was that the music in the show was completely different from the music that had been in the film. I had always felt that the music in the film had really suited the story and helped tell it. I guess that may have been how I felt because that's all I knew, I don't know, but I really hoped it was going to be the same in the show. When I realised it wasn't I was a little apprehensive. Cyndi Lauper was the composer and lyricist for the show so I wasn't to worried about the quality, just the fact it was going to be different. Ms Lauper has done a fantastic job and although I prefer the music from the film, I am in no way suggesting I don't like the shows music. It works. It fits on with the story and really works for the stage. all the songs are enhanced by the fantastic choreography of Jerry Mitchell. I guess another thing that annoyed me, but wasn't really a disappointment, was the terrible accents the cast had. At first it was a bit funny, but then it got a little annoying. Thankfully I was to into the story and the music that I kind of forgot the accents a bit, but it was still in the back of my mind. Billy Porter was one of the best out of the cast, as was Stark Sands as Charlie Price. he though will unfortunately leave the show at the end of this month. Another great accent was Annaleigh Ashford as Lauren. Not because its really good, but because its so bad its funny. I'm assuming that was her intention, and boy does it work. Hopefully the accent thing wont be an issue in the West End.
This is most definitely a show I feel the whole family will love. I mean when I went there where all ages in the audience and all of them were having a good time and talking about the show afterwards. When it transfers to the West End here in London I can tell you know Ill be going to see it more than once. Tickets and Info
The only disappointment I had was that the music in the show was completely different from the music that had been in the film. I had always felt that the music in the film had really suited the story and helped tell it. I guess that may have been how I felt because that's all I knew, I don't know, but I really hoped it was going to be the same in the show. When I realised it wasn't I was a little apprehensive. Cyndi Lauper was the composer and lyricist for the show so I wasn't to worried about the quality, just the fact it was going to be different. Ms Lauper has done a fantastic job and although I prefer the music from the film, I am in no way suggesting I don't like the shows music. It works. It fits on with the story and really works for the stage. all the songs are enhanced by the fantastic choreography of Jerry Mitchell. I guess another thing that annoyed me, but wasn't really a disappointment, was the terrible accents the cast had. At first it was a bit funny, but then it got a little annoying. Thankfully I was to into the story and the music that I kind of forgot the accents a bit, but it was still in the back of my mind. Billy Porter was one of the best out of the cast, as was Stark Sands as Charlie Price. he though will unfortunately leave the show at the end of this month. Another great accent was Annaleigh Ashford as Lauren. Not because its really good, but because its so bad its funny. I'm assuming that was her intention, and boy does it work. Hopefully the accent thing wont be an issue in the West End.
This is most definitely a show I feel the whole family will love. I mean when I went there where all ages in the audience and all of them were having a good time and talking about the show afterwards. When it transfers to the West End here in London I can tell you know Ill be going to see it more than once. Tickets and Info
