Kinky Boots – REVIEW

If it’s glitz and glam that audiences expect in a theatrical production, then Kinky Boots is the show they should not miss out on!

Proudly presented by Packemin Productions and Riverside Theatres who joined forces and have provided audiences with quality and affordable spectacular musicals for 11 years including Oliver!, Hairspray, Mary Poppins, Phantom Of The Opera and Mamma Mia!

The book is by Harvey Fierstein with music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper and the original Broadway production won six Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Actor and Best Score.

Based on the 2005 film by the same name, the story is set in Northampton, London and centres on a young man named Charlie who takes over the running of his father’s faltering shoe business.  With the aid of Lola, a drag queen, he slowly rebuilds the business to its former glory by successfully modelling and manufacturing a niche style of shoes for glamorous drag queens.

Beautifully staged, this flamboyant production which boasts glittering and colourful costumes (and let’s not forget the sexy and very stylish boots!) is nothing short of a comedic masterpiece that should have audiences laughing out loud throughout.

The all singing and all dancing musical sequences which include catchy toe-tapping favourites including Sex Is In The Heel, The Most Beautiful Thing and What A Woman Wants are creatively choreographed and performed by a huge professional cast headed by Adam Rennie and Nat Jobe who portray Charlie and Lola/Simon respectively.

Jobe steals the show as the headstrong and larger than life Lola and milder Simon, who has never felt comfortable in his skin as a man. It’s when he dresses as Lola that his true self is released. Lola’s inner feminine qualities are revealed when she announces to the world that “the colour red is for sexy” and that “the most beautiful thing in the world are shoes.”

Audiences should empathise with the plights of both Lola and Simon. Being complete contrasts in character yet the same person, Jobe has delivered a remarkable performance in bringing both characters to life on stage.

So many elements in production have come together, off stage and on, to present audiences with an enchanting musical that is not only tantalizingly entertaining, but also leaves audiences with several meaningful, relatable, and universal messages – accept people for who they are, never let anybody dictate who you should be and not to live up to other people’s expectations regardless of who they are.

This production of Kinky Boots is a sure-fire hit suitable for all “ladies and gentlemen and those who are yet to make up their minds” and should prove to be a crowd-pleaser!

Until September 24

Riverside Theatres, corner Market & Church St, Parramatta.

riversideparramatta.com.au