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Review of Kinky Boots (N.M.T.C.) at Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton

The musical Kinky Boots is perhaps the perfect show for the homegrown theatre group Northampton Musical Theatre Company to perform with the very core of the story bred within this very county. The tale of of Charlie Price and his encounter and unlikely partnership with a certain Lola is based on a true story of factory W. G. Brooks Ltd and the owner Steve Pateman. Back in 1999 his story of men and their wearing of shoes for women featured on a BBC documentary and this in turn inspired the 2005 film, Kinky Boots. Finally, in 2012, this musical adaptation of the story hit the stage, with a book by Harvey Fierstein and songs written by Cyndi Lauper.

Longtime readers of my blog with good memories may remember that five years ago I reviewed the opening of the UK professional tour of Kinky Boots, also at the Royal & Derngate. While I enjoyed the show, I didn't give it the most favourable review. Five years on, and a second viewing, have I warmed to the charms of Charlie and Lola's tale?

The simple answer is yes, in a way. I still have a number of issues with the show itself, the songs for me still form a very unusual combination and the quality of them lurches all over the place and seems to have no pattern to them like a classic musical would. However, the script is still strong as it was created by Fierstein from the original film by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth and it does obviously have a charming tale to tell. How this production wins through though is something sometimes missing in a professional version, but often so strong in an amateur one, and that is sheer unbridled enthusiasm. Here an exceptionally large and talented cast is doing it for the love of it, and not a pay packet, and yes, many of them are also telling a story strong to their community. You can see this effect very visibly on stage.

Nowhere better is this shown than in the performance of Dan Hodson as Charlie Price, a performer I have seen a few times before, but never better here. His solo performance of The Soul of a Man (the best song in the show) bleeds pure emotion right up close to the edge of the stage and his entire performance is a thing of joy as we journey through the turmoils of Price in both work and romance.

Hodson could easily have been the best performer of the show if a certain Luke White, always a star of NMTC shows, didn't suddenly fall upon the role he was born to play in Lola. From his first dazzling club appearance, White has the audience and the show in the palm of his hands, and as the workers of the factory also have, it is only eyes on Lola. There was a chance that it could be all jazz and show from White, but, as "Simon" he very much proves the depth is there as the troubled non-Lola battles to live his life. White is simply tremendous.

While the two leads form the bulk of the show, there are some brilliant supporting roles. Ashleigh Standage is great as the highly unlikeable girlfriend Nicola, while Rachel James is the perfect, quirky opposite of Nicola in her role as Charle's would-be girlfriend Lauren. James even manages to make the unbearably irritating number The History of Wrong Guys watchable, unlike my previous experience of it. Further quality support comes from Frazer McDonald in the Neanderthal like Don, who makes a lovely journey through the show. The always-reliable Mark Woodham is also perfect as the equally always-reliable factory manager George. Also a shoutout to Angels Casey Roberts, Ell Barnes-Ward, Jame Bignell, Stuart Evans, James Franks, and Lee Croft for their dazzling display.

The production itself has some differences from the professional version due to the obvious limitations of an amateur production. The most notable is the absence of the exceptional conveyor belt scene at the end of the first act. While some very familiar with the original production might lament its absence, it actually goes curiously unnoticed due to the sheer magnitude of such a large enthusiastic cast performing the final act number, Everybody Say Yeah! (a boring song title, but an excellent tune). It is brilliant in its very simplicity that sends the audience off to the interval with a great buzz.

N.M.T.C. regularly director Martyn Knight once again keeps the show crisp and moving, not a simple task with such a large cast and occasionally complicated set to deal with. This sharpness coupled with the excellent band under the direction of Rod Iliffe and very good sound quality (I could actually hear the lyrics, shock horror) means the whole show has a very polished sheen of the quality of a good Northamptonshire shoe.

While I still admit Kinky Boots isn't my favourite musical by some distance, the Northampton Musical Theatre Company has added a new homegrown quality to the show and the packed audience simply lapped it up. If you haven't seen the show, this is an excellent show to see locally and this production is top-notch.

Your boots should be made for walking to the Royal & Derngate to catch this brilliant production.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Tuesday 24th October 2023 at the Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton.

Kinky Boots runs at Royal & Derngate until Saturday 28th October 2023.

For further details about the Royal & Derngate see their website at http://www.royalandderngate.co.uk

Photos: Oscar Myles





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