Presented by Royo & Curve

Book by Harvey Fierstein

Music and Lyrics by Cyndi Lauper

Review by Mhairi Sime

*You change the world when you change your mind.*

Royo & Curve bring Harvey Fierstein’s story of acceptance, love, and absolutely fabulous shoes to the Glasgow stage with a star-studded cast and high-energy performances.

It is a tale as old as time. The bold drag queen Lola meets the struggling shoe factory owner Charlie and inspires a range of “Kinky Boots,” changing both their lives in the process.

Johannes Radebe’s Lola sparkles on stage with undeniable star quality and surprising vocal capabilities. Radebe captures the audience’s attention and refuses to let it go, from the high-energy introduction of the character in the Land of Lola to the emotional climax of Hold Me in Your Heart. Between the character’s snappy one-liners and Radebe’s impressive dancing abilities and general likeability, which has made him a fan favourite of stage and screen, Lola stole the show.

Dan Partridge’s Charlie delivers a consistent performance throughout the show, with enthusiasm and impressive vocal control. However, the character suffers from the fast-paced storyline, which features rapid, overly explained, and underdeveloped character motivation shifts. Partridge’s chemistry with Radebe’s Lola overshadows that of the love interests, leading to a heightened emotional impact of the conflict in the second act.

Courtney Bowman’s Lauren is expressive and matches the energy of Radebe’s Lola with over the top comedic characterisation. Brown shines vocally during their entertaining and heartfelt solo History of Wrong Guys, bringing a relatability to the character’s arc.

Joe Caffrey’s Don and Kara Lily Hayworth’s Nicola provide characters for the audience to root against, but their characterisation suffers from redevelopment due to the pacing of the storyline. Scott Paige’s George never fails to get the audience laughing and maintains the momentum of the production in slower factory scenes. Thanks to Leah Hill’s choreography, the supporting cast and ensemble deliver consistent vocals and perfectly coordinated dance performances.

Robert Jones’s set and costume design elevate the production, with the costumes highlighting the stark contrast between the glamour and bright colours of the drag queens and the gritty reality of the factory floor. The set captures the factory floor while maintaining adaptability for different settings of the story, and Ben Cracknell’s lighting design succeeds in transforming the stage into a dancefloor.

The show is at its strongest during fast-paced audience favourites such as Land of Lola, Sex is in the Heel, Say Yeah, and What a Woman Wants, but the unrealistic pace of character development coupled with outdated language and attitudes towards the drag and queer community in the script holds the production back.

Royo & Curve’s Kinky Boots received a standing ovation from the Glasgow audience and, due to strong performances from the cast, will continue to entertain on their UK tour.

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