Kinky Boots
Cyndi Lauper’s Kinky Boots is strutting into Oxford, bringing with it, plenty of fun, laughs, and hopeful warmth and heart!
Oxford is one of the latter stops on this national tour, and until recently, Strictly’s Johannes Radebe, has been starring as Drag Queen Lola. However, he is currently engaged elsewhere and Newtion Matthews is stepping into Lola’s shoes…or boots! He is extremely good…clearly a triple threat, singing and dancing, but also able to bring out Lola’s vulnerability as well as her feistiness and comic timing, complete with the occasional deep growl!
The action starts with young Charlie kicking his football, as his dad, tries to inspire him about the family shoe factory. We then see young Lola trying on some sparkly red heels. Both children are full of hopes and dreams for their futures. The action then moves to the shoe factory several years later.
The talented ensemble came onstage in the opening scene with a lovely wall of sound, and it was clear that they were well rehearsed, in both some beautiful singing, and movement.
We’re then introduced to the grown up Charlie, and his upwardly aspirational girlfriend Nicola, who wants them both to leave Northampton and head for the bright lights of London. Charlie has no interest in shoes, apart from buying Nicola some fashionable ones. However, no sooner have they moved into their London flat, that Charlie hears that his dad has passed away.
He returns to Northampton to sort out affairs, and sets about trying to turn around the ailing shoe factory. He meets Lola, and an idea takes hold…to manufacture sexy shoes and boots that are better designed for supporting male bodies. In other words, kinky boots for drag queens.
Along the way, he and Lola encounter bigotry, and many more challenges, and a realisation about what is important, and about themselves. It all finishes in a glamorous Fashion show in Milan…
The cast are all great. Dan Partridge as Charlie is very confident, but you also see his conflict, wanting to be the successful business owner his father would want him to be, but not really knowing where to start.
The standout for me was Courtney Bowman as Lauren. Her ‘The History of Wrong Guys’ was fabulous! But also watching her growing relationship with childhood friend Charlie, as they join forces to turn the factory’s declining fortunes around, was just a joy to behold. She has real star quality.
I also enjoyed Scott Paige as factory foreman George. He and Joe Caffrey as Don, and Kathryn Barnes as Pat, as well as Lucy Williamson as Trish, really brought out the characters of the factory worker, initially resisting change, but then pulling behind Charlie, Lola and Lauren’s plans.
I’ve already mentioned the ensemble, but credit must also go to Lola’s Angels, her fellow Drag Queens. They are all brilliant.
This is a good fun production. It also has a great message about acceptance, and letting people be true to themselves. It has some great songs, fabulous costumes, and very well directed by Nicolai Foster.
For a great evening at the theatre, hot foot it down to the New Theatre this week for Kinky Boots!
This show was reviewed on the 22nd July 2025 at the New Theatre Oxford where it runs until the 26th July 2025. Tickets available here: Kinky Boots Tickets | New Theatre Oxford in Oxford | ATG Tickets
For full tour details please visit : Kinky Boots The Musical
Review written by Ruth Hawkins
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Photo credit : Danny Kaan
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