There’s no use putting up a fight with “Kinky Boots.” The Broadway adaptation of the hit 2005 Miramax film about a struggling shoe factory in the north of England and the drag queens who help to save it is the feel-good musical of the season. Yes, Harvey Fierstein’s funny book is a bit too bald, Cyndi Lauper’s catchy songs are more lyrically repetitive than they should be, and director-choreographer Jerry Mitchell slights character and story in favor of splashy production numbers. Still, boasting a powerhouse performance from Billy Porter as Lola, the drag queen who’s also a trained boxer, the damn thing works.
Just as meek Charlie Price relocates to London with his ambitious fiancée, Nicola, to work in real-estate management, Charlie’s shoes-obsessed father, unhappy that his son chose not to follow him into the family business, drops dead. Charlie returns to Northampton to discover that Dad was keeping the business open by making shoes for nonexistent orders. Charlie’s ready to throw in the towel, but spunky employee Lauren challenges him to think out of the box and find a niche market. A chance London encounter with Lola—Charlie got conked on the noggin trying to
Leave a Reply