'Kinky Boots' at the Adelphi Theatre

We went to see 'Kinky Boots' at the Adelphi last week and, although it's in preview at the moment, it's obviously going to BIG and run forever. If you like a story that actually goes somewhere, great songs and great staging and lots of laughs - not to mention a troupe of drag queens - then you'll love it. Trust me on this one and book your tickets now! I couldn't help but smile throughout the show and shimmy along in my seat.

It's the tale of a shoe factory and how two young men find themselves and realise their dreams. There's Charlie from Northampton who's Dad runs the family shoe factory and there's Simon from Clacton who is better known as Lola in the drag clubs of Soho. Charlie was brought up to run the family business after his Dad but moves to London with his fiancé to escape and Simon is brought up to be a boxer but prefers red shoes and chooses a different life.

Charlie's Dad dies and he has to go back to sort out the factory but finds it's running at a loss and about to close. He grew up with the workers there and can't let them lose their jobs without a fight so goes to London to sell some of the shoes and he bumps into Lola. He finds out that a man's weight simply breaks the heels of boots made for women and enlists Lola to design boots built for men, a rather niche market that he intends to exploit at a shoe show in Milan. We follow the ups and downs in their lives up until Milan … but I'll let you find out the details when you go to see it rather than tell you here. Why spoil the surprise?

It's written by Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper - Harvey the book and Cyndi the songs - and they're a great partnership. Harvey wrote 'Torch Song Trilogy' and 'La Cage Aux Folles' so knows what he's doing. And Cyndi Lauper is Cyndi Lauper so enough said. There are some great songs in different styles from Cyndi. It's a great and imaginative production, using the factory as the backdrop but changing the front of stage to a drag club, a boxing ring and an old people's home as scenes change.  The photos in this blog are from the Broadway production since production photos haven't yet been released for London.

The show stars Killian Donnelly as Charlie and Matt Henry as Lola and, if this show doesn't make them big names, I don't know what will. I also liked Amy Lennox (especially with the fun 'The History of the Wrong Guy') and Jamie Baughan as the macho Don who learns acceptance. I also liked the troupe of drag queens who accompanied Lola for most of her songs - they were called the Angels but should've been called the Kinkettes (obv). It's been playing for a couple of weeks and hasn't properly opened yet so I suspect there's still bits to tighten up as the cast grow into their roles and learn where the laughs are but the whole cast was great.

I look forward to seeing it again in a few months time when they've all settled into their roles. It'll be even fabber then!