Kinky Boots strutted into Manchester last night (bet I’m the only reviewer witty enough to come up with an opening line that original) and in doing so encapsulated an audience with its inspiring message.
I want to preface this review by stating that up until last night, I knew next to nothing about Kinky Boots.
Admittedly, even as a born and raised theatre kid, there will always be the odd musical that manages to slip through the cracks and elude me, much like a cinephile who’s never seen Jaws and, shamefully, Kinky Boots is my Jaws. Until now.
This actually gave me a huge sense of excitement going into the press night for the all-new production of Kinky Boots.
It’s very rare that I review a show that I’m not comparing to some form of source material, a different production that I’d already seen, the movie adaptation, the original cast recording, etc.
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So, to sit down last night at 7:29 absolutely clueless about what was set to unfold in front of me, was a genuine breath of fresh air.
Kinky Boots is set between the towns of Northampton, London and climatically, Milan. The story follows two lead characters Charlie Price, a Northampton boy who begins the show having just inherited his late father’s shoe manufacturing business.
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It’s a fate he’s been trying to run from since his childhood and Lola/Simon, a fierce and powerful drag queen who uses their dress sense and divaesque attitude as a shield from the outside world that wishes to, ironically, drag her down
The two collide when Charlie is inspired to save his late father’s failing business by exchanging the manufacturing of boring brogues for fabulous ‘kinky boots’ that can be fabulous, whilst fully supporting the weight of any drag queen.
His energy has dropped one iota from rehearsals to the tour. (Credit: Press Images)
Johannes Radebe – best known for being one of the professionals on Strictly Come Dancing – was nothing short of absolutely breathtaking as Lola.
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I’ll be honest, celebrity castings generally put me off shows more than attract me to them; in some cases, they can feel like desperate pleas to get bums in seats (which given the current state of arts within the UK, production companies can hardly be blamed for).
However, Johannes genuinely seems born to play this role. I was expecting his dancing to be well… professional but I was intrigued to see how his vocals and acting would compare and boy, oh boy, did they compare. He didn’t miss a beat.
His acting was fierce and powerful, just as his character demanded whilst also showing real vulnerability and humility. In terms of individual performances, it’s one of the best I’ve seen at Manchester’s Palace Theatre for a long while.
The supporting cast was just as fabulous, with special shoutouts to Courtney Bowman who played the adorably loveable Lauren, whilst delivering serious powerhouse vocals and to Scott Paige who played George.
You could see through Scott’s performance a real sense of pride and shared experience with the story plus his comedic timing was absolutely impeccable, I hope to see more of him in the future.
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Kinky Boots boasts a strong supporting cast all-round (Credit: Supplied via Palace Theatre Manchester).
With a book by Harvey Fierstein and music and lyrics by the legendary Cyndi Lauper, I must admit it’s Harvey who carries the weight in this production.
Whilst catchy enough to tap your feet to, I didn’t leave the theatre with so much as an earworm from Cyndi’s musical offering, however, the heart and passion of the story is something I think everyone should look to experience.
Kinky Boots is about accepting people for who they are instead of seeking to change them and this show does a fantastic job of encapsulating that message, not only from the standpoint of the LGBTQ+ community but for everyone.
The show implores people to accept everyone from the fiercest drag queen to the most bullish, typical ‘blokes’ out there and the way each of those groups manages to come together by the end of the production is a testament to what can happen if we all embrace each other with open arms.
Kinky Boots is only in Manchester until Saturday (8 February), so please, get tickets if you can and go and see this fabulous show. You can grab yours HERE. Who knows? Maybe you’ll get to see a living legend in the flesh like we did…
Featured Images — Press Images (supplied via Palace Theatre and Opera House Manchester)
Theatre
Dirty Dancing at Palace Theatre, Manchester – at least one audience member had the time of her life…
Daisy Jackson
For anyone who has watched Dirty Dancing so many times they can practically recite the dialogue, taking on the Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey roles is no small feat – and turning that lakeside romance into a live musical comes with even bigger expectations.
The stage production at the Palace Theatre in Manchester has all the familiar ingredients: the dancing, the music, the forbidden romance and, of course, that lift. But while there are moments when the theatre version captures the exuberance of the original, it doesn’t always manage to recreate its magic.
Charlie Varlet as Baby does a great job of embracing the knock-kneed awkwardness of the teenage star, slowly blossoming into a beautiful dancer who is almost eerily similar to the film’s Jennifer Grey.
And Joel Benjamin plays a striking Johnny, moving lightly for such an enormously muscular actor.
But there are moments where their chemistry fizzles out, too much of the script that focuses on their bickerings and misunderstandings to make you buy into their love story.
At points, it feels almost slapstick, and the result is a restless audience that keeps hooting and hollering at a topless Benjamin when he’s trying to deliver a serious monologue about Johnny’s upbringing. One woman shouts ‘LUCKY YOU’ and cackles as Baby sits in bed with him. It’s not a Magic Mike show, guys.
Where Dirty Dancing the musical shines is when it really makes the most of its full ensemble, with huge dance numbers that see limbs and skirts flying right across the stage.
Ellie Ferguson as Penny in Dirty Dancing. Credit: Danny Kaan
And it’s hard to take your eyes off Penny (Ellie Fergusson), even when she’s lurking in the crowd, so impressive is her stage presence and the execution of her dance routines.
Having a lot of the musicians on the stage is a fantastic touch too – you spot people playing saxophones and clarinets and guitars in a lot of the scenes and it adds a real party atmosphere.
The set design does its best to replicate the iconic moments of the film, but the cast shaking themselves dry under a blue light can’t come close to the magic of the lake scene.
If you’ve watched the film so often you can recite it word for word (guilty), you won’t find a lot of surprises up on the stage – the theatre adaptation sticks pretty tightly to the original plot and script.
Baby (Charlie Varlet) and Johnny (Joel Benjamin)Dirty Dancing is at the Palace Theatre in ManchesterCredit: Danny Kaan
It means that a lot of the moments that would translate best to stage – the underground dance party in the staff quarters, the montage of Baby learning to dance, the Hungry Eyes scene – are condensed into the first half of the musical.
The second half feels a little flat in comparison, just a lot of bickering and storming around the stage… up until that grand finale, when Johnny bursts from the back of the theatre and storms the stage to complete that iconic lift.
It’s worth all the trundle just for that final euphoric moment.
Dirty Dancing is at the Palace Theatre in Manchester until Saturday 3 October, then will return next summer. You can grab tickets HERE.
Greater Manchester announces £15m investment in grassroots culture
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Greater Manchester is investing more than £15 million in grassroots and community culture over the next three years, with funding set to support organisations across all 10 boroughs.
The funding will support a range of cultural activity, including disability arts, youth engagement, community music-making, theatre, live music, dance, and documentary filmmaking.
Investment will be prioritised in neighbourhoods that are viewed as facing greater barriers to cultural engagement, addressing inequalities in access, meaning these community theatres, grassroots music venues and local production companies are set to be given an additional £407,540 per year.
This investment is a fantastic opportunity for Mancunians to come together and celebrate the beautiful place that we are lucky enough to call home.
Culture is absolutely essential for unity and reinforcing our sense of civic pride, in addition to bringing valuable skills, expertise and new opportunities to our region. Not to mention the benefits co-creation can have on wellbeing and positive growth.
Recognising the transformational impact culture can have, Greater Manchester has pledged continual support to existing leading regional institutions which will ensure culture remains central to local regeneration, as well as committing funds and support to new grassroot talent.
What’s more is that funding has been secured for enrichment across all ten boroughs, meaning nobody has to miss out.
This boost in funding will also help deliver on the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s commitment to putting ‘things to do’ at the heart of town centres, with nine new organisations to receive funding for the first time. Included in this are OT Creative Space, String of Hearts, Manchester’s Reform Radio, Venture Arts, and Stand and Be Counted Theatre.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Bev Craig said: “Shared cultural experiences are powerful opportunities to bring people together, create opportunities and build pride. We are investing more than £15 million for culture over the next three years, funding organisations of all shapes and sizes, in all 10 boroughs, so that everyone in Greater Manchester has access to an experience that speaks to them.
“Doorstep access to everything from theatre to live music, dance to documentary filmmaking, has the power to transform lives and shape communities. The Culture Fund is a key part of my commitment to putting things to do at the heart of our towns.”
This exciting £15m investment is to be divided into just over £5m each year, for cultural organisations in the region, across a three year period. This funding is designed to increase reach to more people within our communities and to ensure that the cultural sector remains thriving and strong.
Greater Manchester has also vowed to give the well-known Inspire Fund a £20,000 annual boost, to provide small grants to more local artists, small cultural organisations, creatives and freelancers.
In Rochdale, Breaking Barriers, known for amplifying unheard voices by co-creating work with local communities, have received an annual award of £40,000, as well as Skylight Circus Arts securing an annual award of £27,540 for its inclusive circus workshops for communities and schools.
Doc North, a not-for-profit organisation supporting working-class documentary makers and storytellers in the North of England, has been given £42,000 and popular grassroots music venue, The Snug, has been awarded £70,000.
In response to the challenges faced by the sector, a new Structural Fund of £100,000 has also been implemented to help to solidify stronger cultural networks and partnerships across the region. This will aid organisations to take risks and experiment in the delivery of new ideas.
In a city region so rich with culture and history, it’s about time we start engaging within our communities and celebrating what we have on offer here in Greater Manchester.
Oli Lowe -
5th February 2025 
