Kinky Boots opened in Northampton on Wednesday night but in the final days of rehearsal the cast took a chance to drink in some of the town’s movie magic.
The story of how a Northamptonshire shoe factory came up with a saucy new product line to beat the recession has been immortalised on film and now in the smash hit stage show, written by Cyndi Lauper.
The show is at the Adelphi Theatre in London until January but its UK tour starts with Northampton and the performers were excited to pay homage to the shoemaking backstreets which inspired the story. John Roan took pictures.
Amanda Howson of Royal & Derngate said: “The cast of the musical Kinky Boots took time to visit Tricker’s the Northampton shoe factory, where the movie which inspired the musical was filmed. The performers gathered for a photo outside the factory before enjoying a detailed tour, seeing some of the shoe manufacturing techniques they depict on stage being carried out for real.”
With a book by Broadway legend and four-time Tony® Award-winner Harvey Fierstein (La Cage aux Folles), and songs by Grammy® and Tony® winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper, this joyous musical celebration is about the friendships we discover, and the belief that you can change the world when you change your mind.
Inspired by true events, Kinky Boots takes you from a gentlemen’s shoe factory in Northampton to the glamorous catwalks of Milan. Charlie Price is struggling to live up to his father’s expectations and continue the family business of Price & Son. With the factory’s future hanging in the balance, help arrives in the unlikely but spectacular form of Lola, a fabulous performer in need of some sturdy new stilettos.
With direction and choreography by two-time Tony® Award-winner Jerry Mitchell (Legally Blonde, Hairspray), Kinky Boots is the winner of every major Best Musical award including three Olivier Awards, three WhatsOnStage Awards as well as six Broadway Tony® Awards.
Callum Francis (Lola/Simon) most recently starred as Lola in the Australian Tour of Kinky Boots – for which he won the 2017 Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Musical – direct from the Original London Production at the Adelphi Theatre. His other theatre credits include Miss Saigon (Prince Edward Theatre); The Lion King (Lyceum Theatre); Ghost (Piccadilly Theatre); Hair (European Tour); Ultimate Broadway (Shanghai Culture Square Theatre); Naked Boys Singing (Charing Cross Theatre) and Fame (Manchester Opera House).
Joel Harper-Jackson (Charlie Price) has numerous theatre credits including Pieces of String (Mercury Theatre); Myth: The Rise and Fall of Orpheus (The Other Palace); The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (UK Tour), Jesus Christ Superstar (Regents Park Open Air Theatre); Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (The Aldwych Theatre); Little Women (Hope Mill Theatre); Picture Perfect (St James); Pacific Overtures (Union Theatre); Rent (UK Tour) and West End Women (UK Tour). His film credits include The Curse and Abu Ghraib.
Paula Lane (Lauren) has appeared on stage in Be More Martyn (Southwark Playhouse) and The Bengal Lily (Manchester Royal Exchange). Her television and film credits include Coronation Street; Doctors; Heartbeat; The Royal; Going Postal and War Wounds.
Demitri Lampra (Don) has appeared on stage in both The Jungle Book (Image Musical Theatre) and The Wind in the Willows (UK tour).
Helen Ternent (Nicola) has several theatre credits including Jersey Boys (Piccadilly Theatre); The Pajama Game (Shaftesbury Theatre); Stephen Ward (Aldwych Theatre); Viva Forever (Piccadilly Theatre); Hairspray! (UK Tour); High School Musical 2 (UK Tour Fame (UK Tour); We Will Rock You (Vienna/Zurich); The Three Musketeers (Berlin); Mamma Mia! (Cyprus).
Adam Price (George) has multiple theatre credits including Privates On Parade (MGC, Noel Coward Theatre); Hairspray (Shaftesbury Theatre); Hairspray (UK Tour); Blood Brothers, Oliver Twist, Ghosts of Scrooge (Library Theatre); Babes in Arms, The Winter’s Tale, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); The Boys From Syracuse (Crucible, Sheffield); Guys & Dolls, Fat Pig – The Musical (Leicester Haymarket); The Red Balloon (Bristol Old Vic); Notre Dame (Oxford); The Merry Widow, Ghosts Of Ruddigore (Opera Della Luna); Make Some Noise, One Step Beyond (Stratford East); A Hole In The Fence (White Bear Theatre); Much Ado About Nothing (Hampstead Theatre) and The Dark Side (UK Tour). His television and film credits include Family Affairs; Eastenders; May To December; Coppers; The Cuckoo Sister; Grange Hill; Just Good Friends; Executive Stress and Young Soul Rebels.
Kinky Boots is produced by Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig and Playful Productions, in association with Cameron Mackintosh.
Book: Harvey Fierstein
Composer & Lyricist: Cyndi Lauper
Director & Choreographer: Jerry Mitchell
Musical Supervision,
Arranger & Orchestrator: Stephen Oremus
Scenic Design: David Rockwell
Costume Design: Gregg Barnes
Lighting Design: Kenneth Posner
Sound Design: John Shivers
Hair Design: Josh Marquette
Official UK Tour Website: www.kinkybootsthemusical.co.uk/uk-tour
Official Facebook: www.facebook.com/KinkyBootsUK
Official Twitter: www.twitter.com/KinkyBootsUK
Kinky Boots is at Royal & Derngate until Saturday 6 October 2018
Eves 7.30pm (except Fri 28 Sept & Fri 5 Oct 5pm & 8.30pm)
Sat mats – 2.30pm
Box Office 01604 624811
