View from the Cheap Seat

When Kinky Boots first stepped into the West End in 2015, it did so with swagger. This revival leans just as confidently into its camp sensibility, but reframes the story with a sharper, more reflective focus on masculinity and identity in a more volatile cultural moment.

Based on the 2005 film, with a book by Harvey Fierstein and a score by Cyndi Lauper, the musical fuses American pop sheen with a distinctly British setting: the struggling Northampton shoe factory, Price & Son. At its core is the unlikely partnership between Charlie Price (Matt Cardle), who inherits the business after his father’s death, and Lola (Johannes Radebe), a London drag performer in need of sturdier heels and, perhaps, a more accepting world.

Radebe’s casting proves inspired. Not traditionally from musical theatre, he brings a raw, performative electricity that suits Lola perfectly. His dancing is unsurprisingly exceptional, but more notable is the emotional clarity he brings to the role. His rendition of Not My Father’s Son lands with genuine poignancy, delivered with a vocal strength that never feels overstretched despite the demands of a role that famously earned Billy Porter a Tony Award.

Opposite him, Cardle offers a polished vocal performance as Charlie, though the character itself feels comparatively underwritten. Key relationships, particularly with his father and fiancée Nicola (Billie-Kay), are sketched too lightly to fully anchor his emotional journey. As a result, Charlie often reads as secondary in his own story, overshadowed by Lola’s more vividly drawn narrative.

The ensemble is sizeable, and while it allows for visually expansive dance numbers that fill the Coliseum stage, it can also feel unwieldy. Some factory scenes lack dynamism, with performers left underutilised. That said, there are strong supporting turns, notably from Scott Paige as George and Billy Roberts as Don. Courtney Bowman brings charm and warmth to Lauren, offering a welcome counterbalance as Charlie’s love interest.

Musically, the score is uneven. Lauper clearly understands how to land an emotional beat, but the pacing between songs can feel abrupt, at times undercutting narrative flow. Still, Sex is in the Heel remains a standout, bold, infectious, and staged with flair.

This revival arrives at a moment when conversations around gender and identity feel increasingly urgent. Kinky Boots doesn’t attempt to resolve these debates, but it does invite its audience to reconsider assumptions and embrace difference with open-mindedness. If nothing else, it offers a compelling reason to spend an evening in the company of Johannes Radebe, who ensures the show never loses its sense of purpose, or its sparkle.

Kinky Boots is on until 11 July 2026.

Complimentary tickets were provided to the reviewer by seatplan.com