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
Salford-born Marvel star Benedict Wong gives inspiring speech after receiving honorary degree
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester’s very own Marvel movie star Benedict Wong gave an inspiring speech to the minds of the future as he accepted an honorary degree from the University of Salford as graduation season ramps up.
The Salfordian ‘Sorcerer Supreme’ from Doctor Strange and Avengers started out in acting during the 1990s, and has gone on to become a hugely recognisable face across multiple generations.
From those who remember him for that hilarious cameo in The IT Crowd and playing Kublai Khan in Netflix’s Marco Polo, or those who know him only as ‘Wong’ (where’d they come up with one?) in the MCU or shining in the mind-bending 3 Body Problem, he’s gone on to have quite the career in the arts.
That being said, the Eccles-born Manchester United fan has never forgotten where he came from, and was recently awarded an honorary degree from Salford Uni, offering a message filled with sage wisdom to students in return. Here’s a short clip:
Wong, both his real name and best-known superhero moniker, began by joking that it’s been a “34-year ‘overnight’ success” before quickly segueing into much more sincere sentiments shortly thereafter.
He insisted that none of the wonderful things that have happened in his personal and professional life could have been possible without “standing on the foundations of where [he] grew up”, a line that saw him visibly choke up a little.
But it didn’t take him long to return to some levity, confessing to his fellow graduates that he knew a member of the teaching staff way back when, revealing that besides days spent at the historic Adelphi Theatre, they shared a pub lock-in at the nearby pub.
‘You can take the bloke out of Salford…’
Most notably, however, his main takeaway that he wanted to impart on the graduates getting ready to go out into the world was to stay hopeful and motivated; once again, he sprinkled in the serious points with little gags like the repeating THAT Coronation Street “London!?” meme for an easy laugh.
He did also go on to echo similar advice in a short interview after the ceremony, including the importance of making mistakes, which he believes is especially key at this kind of young age:
Put in simplest terms, he said that you should take things a day at a time and just start crossing off “coordinates of where you want to go” one by one until you truly realise it.
Being the latest recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Arts by UoS, who took the time to thank his lawyer Bob as well, crediting his faith in looking after people above simply making money.
Big up Bob.
Finally, he concluded things by wishing these aspiring talents and creatives all the best and signing off by adding, “On your marks, get set, go.”
You can see Benedict Wong’s Salford University acceptance speech in full down below, and trust us – if you’re in need of some inspiration, it’s well worth a watch.
Cult-classic musical Hairspray to kick off UK tour in Manchester next year
Emily Sergeant
An undeniable cult-classic of amusical is set to kick off its next UK tour right here in Manchester next year.
That’s right, you can’t stop the beat… or Hairspray The Musical from heading back to our city.
There’s no denying that Hairspray is known and loved by millions worldwide since it first opened on Broadway all the way back in 2002, and has had audiences tapping their feet on the West End and in countless other cities and countries across the globe ever since.
The eight Tony Award wins and the record-breaking 11 Olivier Award nominations prove that all too well, as does the smash-hit success of the 2007 film adaptation too.
Cult-classic musical Hairspray will kick off its UK tour in Manchester next year / Credit: Supplied
After a triumphant return to the stage in 2024, it’s now been announced that Hairspray The Musical is heading out on a major national tour of the UK and Ireland once again in 2027 – with theatre lovers able to get their hands on tickets when they go on sale today (6 July).
Oh, and what better way to kick things off than right here in Manchester?
In case you’re unfamiliar, the timeless story of Hairspray centres around heroine Tracy Turnblad, who has “big hair, a big heart, and big dreams” and wants to dance her way onto national TV, and into the heart of teen idol Link Larkin.
When Tracy becomes a local star, she is able to use her newfound fame to fight for liberation, tolerance, and interracial unity in Baltimore.
But the real question is, can she win equality – and Link’s heart -without denting her ’do?
An all-time favourite.
Audiences in Manchester will be the first to hear some of musical theatre’s most well-known songs, including ‘Welcome To The 60s’, ‘You Can’t Stop The Beat’, and ‘Good Morning Baltimore’, before it heads out to other major cities across the country.
Liverpool, Bradford, York, and Sunderland are just a few of the fellow northern cities where the tour will be stopping off at in 2027.
The show’s original production team of Mark Goucher, Matthew Gale, and Laurence Myers will return, alongside Brenda Edwards and Paul Kerryson as directors.
Meanwhile, choreography will come from Olivier Award winner Drew McOnie, and music is provided by the Academy Award, Tony, and Emmy-winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.
The all-singing, all-dancing show is taking to the Palace Theatre stage / Credit: Pamela Raith
Hairspray The Musical will take to the stage at Manchester’s Palace Theatre from 2 – 19 July 2027.
Tickets are going on general sale today at 10am, and although prices haven’t been revealed yet, it’s expected they’ll be available in a range of prices so it’s affordable for everyone looking to make the most of the all-singing-all-dancing experience.
Oli Lowe -
5th February 2025 
