Review by Brittany Crowell
Kinky Boots is back! If you missed the run on Broadway (like I did), strut yourself over to west 42nd Street to see the off-Broadway revival at Stage 42. The cast brings energy and heart to this upbeat musical about acceptance of others, and perhaps more importantly – acceptance of yourself.
In the musical, with a book by Harvey Fierstein and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, we follow a shoe factory in East Hampton, northern England, and the young man who inherited it with all of its debts and losses. Charlie sees no choice but to let the full team at the factory go until he finds himself at a drag show with the inspirational Lola. Long story short, Lola inspires Charlie and he hires her to design a new kind of shoe for men – a fabulous heel for drag queens!
Lauper has written some wonderfully upbeat, catchy tunes, which are especially enjoyable when performed by Lola’s energetic band of fellow queens with Jerry Mitchell’s dance moves. This production starts the treadmill quickly, beginning the piece at a jog and continuing to sprint us through the first twenty minutes of the show – speeding through the first three songs in a manner which, if you’re not holding on, may throw you from the machine. Directing the opening with this speed led to some disjointed performances, with actors overreacting to lines that had not yet been spoken; laughing their response before the joke was made.
Callum Francis and the ensemble of KINKY BOOTS; photo by Matt Murphy / MurphyMade
I was getting nervous that this speed would permeate the full show experience when a reprieve was provided in Callum Francis’ Lola. When Callum graced the stage, everything seemed to ground itself, centering in on Lola’s energy and the life that Francis brought to the role. While Lola is the biggest character in North Hampton, Francis performers her with such a grounded vulnerability that she was also the most relatable. Not only did Francis portray all of the joy and life that Lola possesses, but also listened to others on stage, reacting to what they were saying even while living in character.
Kinky Boots is a piece about acceptance. Charlie learns to accept his journey and who he wants to be. The citizens of North Hampton accept Lola (some more slowly than others). Lola is a staunch warrior, standing tall amidst adversity and forgiving the many who mis-step around her.
Another performance worth noting is Danielle Hope as Lauren. “The History of Wrong Guys” is every young woman’s journey in love, while also being charming, hilarious physical comedy that is performed with expert precision and engaging energy.
David Rockwell’s simply designed factory floor created dynamic levels for actors to play and served as a template for the erotic, colorful, and sparkling costumes of Gregg Barnes which shone as a beacon of light between the drab colors of factory and worker. At the close of the show the shoes are beautifully displayed on all of the cast, who simply light up with the pops of color added to their wardrobe.
I’d have been curious to see the original 2013 production to see how it has grown and shifted in the almost decade since it was originally performed. While the message of acceptance and love is universal and timeless, certain aspects of the identity of Lola feel confused between drag queen and trans woman in a way that doesn’t help the narrative of those identities in today’s culture. However, scenes which call out gendered bathrooms and the addition of “theys and thems” to the infamous like “Ladies and gentlemen.. and those who have yet to make up your mind” make strides towards a deeper understanding and acceptance of these identities within the script itself.
Kinky Boots is also just good solid fun. The music is upbeat; the costumes sparkle; the singing is gorgeous and athletic, and the performances by many in the cast are stellar. It’s a fun night at the theater and a worthy watch for any who may have missed the original Broadway run – or want to go back and relive the story.
KINKY BOOTS – book by Harvey Fierstein; music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper; directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell; music supervision, arrangements, and orchestrations by Stephen Oremus
FEATURING – Callum Francis (Lola); Christian Douglas (Charlie); Danielle Hope (Lauren); Sean Steele; Brianna Stoute; Marcus Neville.
Scenic design by David Rockwell; costume design by Gregg Barnes; lighting design by Kenneth Posner; sound design by Gareth Owen; Hair design by Josh Marquette; makeup design by Darion Matthews. Produced by Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig at Stage 42: Robert E. Wankel, chairman and CEO; Elliot Greene, chief operating officer; Charles Flateman, executve vice president.
