SYDNEY THEATRE | 'Kinky Boots' is a poignant must-see musical
There are few performances that can be credited with the label of ‘life changing’, and those who do generally have the ability to do two things: warm your heart, and change your mind.
‘Kinky Boots’ - an energetic, hilarious new musical that has taken Sydney by storm, overwhelmingly fits this criteria, leaving a giant, sparkly, boot-shaped imprint on the lives of all who attended.
Inspired by a true story and following a film version, this musical does more than entertain. Within just over two hours (including a twenty-minute interval), ‘Kinky Boots’ manages to capture the hearts of its audience, persuading and inspiring hundreds of people with each exhilarating performance.
The show is nothing if not spectacular. With high-energy tunes that will have you singing for days, and phenomenal performers who play their roles convincingly and with glowing honesty, there is very little to complain about when it comes to ‘Kinky Boots’.
Special mentions must be made for Callum Francis (Lola), Toby Francis (Charlie) and, of course, the hilarious and beautiful Sophie Wright (Lauren) who blew us all away with her down to earth, truthful portrayal of unrequited pining.
Though the energy remained high throughout, the second act is where the atmosphere changes from enjoyable to purely astounding, and a standing ovation is truly deserved.
Themes of family, acceptance, community and what it truly means to be a ‘man’ are all explored in ways which leave the audience feeling stripped raw, exposed to their own hidden prejudices and aware of the impact that one open hand can have on the life of hundreds of people.
Whilst the staging appeared limiting to begin with, seemingly no practicality for any location change, within the first few minutes, the flexibility of the set was made clear.
The props and furniture on the stage seemed to move as though they were gears in a turning machine, working with an unexpected flow.
A clever use of character placement and movement complimented the set’s best features and diverted attention from the worst, which prevented distraction from the flow of the performance.
Not much can be mentioned specifically about significant use of props without giving away the magic of experiencing the show first hand though it would be unjust to continue without mentioning the relationship between the props and the electric choreography.
Tony winning choreographer and director Jerry Mitchell has outdone himself yet again, particularly in such a high-pressure scenario where extra attention will inevitably be placed upon the dancer’s shoes.
‘Kinky Boots’ was indeed life changing. It warmed the audience’s hearts with heart wrenching numbers, leaving the room in a stunned silence (there were no dry eyes in the room after ‘Not My Father’s Son’ and ‘Hold Me in Your Heart’). The musical had the audience clapping, laughing, and dancing, particularly in the humorous number ‘What a Woman Wants’, which holds an embarrassing air of honesty, and had the women in the audience whistling in enthusiastic agreement.
Most importantly, ‘Kinky Boots’ was able to do something that only few musicals can: it changed our minds, altering our prior knowledge. Stepping outside the venue from the stuffy yet exhilarating atmosphere, and into the fresh cool of the night, a bitterness sinks in as the audience realises that many of the people who have watched and enjoyed the show that very same night will return home to their beds, inevitably thinking that equal rights is an issue to be discussed and understood solely within the context of theatre and entertainment.
However, before I could even finish this thought, an elderly woman beside me turned to her partner and said, “when I saw that lady-man on stage, I was ready to leave, but I’m so glad I didn’t! What a moving show!”
This is what constitutes a life changing performance. A show that can engage during the performance is good. One that remains in your memory for a few weeks afterwards is great. But a show that can completely alter your way of thinking and your perspective on the world is life changing.
‘Kinky Boots’ has proven to be the latter, demonstrating that sometimes an outrageous idea and an open mind is all a person needs to inspire, create and succeed.
