Seventh Heaven Kinky Boots at the Coliseum
“Seduction amplified
The heel is the transmission
Asserting actual scientific reason
Heels tense the leg and the hindquarter region
Lifting the rear and making it appear
Pert and ready for mating season
That’s the scientific view. But you know what I say?
The sex is in the heel”
Lyric from “The Sex is in the Heel”
Kinky Boots the Musical returns to London after its hit run in 2015 to 2019. This stupendous show is based on the real story of a firm of Northampton shoe makers, suffering from worldwide competition, who solved their problems by breaking into the market for robust high heeled shoes and boots for drag artists. The two men involved are Charlie Price (Matt Cardle with a wonderful 4 octave voice) son of the shoe factory’s owner and Lola (the inimitable Johannes Radebe) a drag queen who keeps breaking the heels on his shoes.
Despite their differing backgrounds, Charlie and Lola find they have much in common and we have the stories of two fathers and the expectations each placed on their son and heir. Charlie is ready to move permanently to London from Northampton with his girlfriend Nicola (Billie-Kay) when his father Mr Price (Jonathan Dryden-Taylor) dies and the factory workers’ jobs all depend on him. Serendipity steps in when he meets Lola involved in a scuffle outside the club where the drag queens perform in London and they strike up a friendship.
The first scene where Mr Price sings, immediately had me admiring the exceptional sound quality in the Coliseum and Adan Fisher’s sound design and I was so sad to think that with Mr Price’s death I wouldn’t be hearing his voice again. But Jonathan Dryden-Taylor later reappears as one of the drag queens called the Angels. Fortunately Matt Cardle’s beautiful voice blew me away for the rest of the show. We meet Young Charlie in this early scene (Archie John Allen, Joshua Beswick, Louis Cohen and Callum George) being brought up to care about quality leather shoes who also sings with skill.
Nicola has plans for the Northamptonshire factory to be redeveloped as condominiums but fortunately Charlie puts his foot down to save his workers from unemployment. Robert Jones’s factory set is realistic with a conveyor belt of shoes and multiple work benches with sewing machines and strips of leather everywhere. The place is Victorian and dark with long narrowed paned windows, a metal stair case leading off the factory floor to the small management office on a higher level.
Now for the scene stealing Johannes Radebe and his larger than life character, the lovely Lola. Known to the nation for his appearances on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing as choreographer and dancer, he has exquisite dance skills and has had singing lessons. He is now officially a triple threat as he can dance, act and sing. We first see him in a 1930s style waved red hairstyle and his many beautiful wigs completely change his appearance. On the Gala afternoon there were many drag queens in the audience but none of them could hold a candle to Lola’s beauty!
Cyndi Lauper’s range of songs from tuneful pop, funk, tango to great ballads are strong tunes and her lyrics are really worthwhile. I loved this musical at the Adelphi in 2015 with Matt Henry and Killian Donnelly but I loved it even more at the Coliseum. What a shame it has a closing date at the end of June, maybe so Johannes can continue on Strictly.
Both Robert Jones and Tom Rogers have worked on Costumes and this is where the angels come into their own. I liked the wigs, the red showgirls, the blue variation on embroidered and sequinned denim and the dramatic black and red of the final number. The factory cast too get a chance to show off the corporate success in thigh high red boots.
There is comedy from Scott Paige as flat capped George in the factory and a boxing match between Harry (Liam Dowle) and Lola. Young Lola (Sean Garcia Madiba, Noah Ronkainen Phillips and Rio-Blake Power) tells Simon’s story with his non-compromising father. Courtney Bowman plays Lauren who falls for Charlie. Go to see both stars for the emotional heft of this fabulous show.
I have never felt more confident in recommending any musical with the Five Star recommendation from Theatrevibe, the site that doesn’t do stars!
Musical Numbers
Act One
Price & Son Theme
The Most Beautiful Thing
Take What You Got
The Land of Lola
Step One
Sex is in the Heel
The History of Wrong Guys
I’m Not My Father’s Son
Everybody Say Yeah
Act Two
Price & Son Theme (reprise)
What a Woman Wants
In This Corner
The Soul of a Man
Hold Me in Your Heart
Raise You Up/Just Be
Production Notes
Kinky Boots
Book by Hervey Fierstein
Music and Lyrics by Cyndi Lauper
Choreographed by Leah Hill
Directed by Nikolai Foster
Cast
Starring:
Johannes Radebe
Matt Cardle
Tosh Wanagho-Maud
Courtney Bowman
Billie-Kay
Billy Roberts
Rachel Izen
Jessica Daley
Jonathan Dryden Taylor
Scott Paige
Liam Doyle
WITH
Andy Barke
Kathryn Barnes
Cerys Burton
Kaya Farrugia
Nay-Nay
Keith Alexander
Nathan Daly
Kofi Dennis
Ru Fisher
Darnell Mathew-James
Liam McEvoy
Ashley-Jordon Packer
Cole Dunn
Annell Odartey
Jordan Isaac
Tori McDougall
Young Cast
Sean Garcia Madiba
Noah Ronkainen Phillips
Rio-Blake Power
Archie John Allen
Joshua Beswick
Louis Cohen
Callum George
Creatives
Director: Nikolai Foster
Choreographer: Leah Hill
Set Designer: Robert Jones
Costume Designer: Robert Jones and Tom Rogers
Original Broadway
Arrangements and Orchestrations:
Steve Oremus
Lighting Designer: Ben Cracknell
Sound Designer: Adam Fisher
Musical Supervisor: George Dyer
Information
Running Time: Two hours 20 minutes with an interval
Booking until 30th June 2026
Theatre:
London Coliseum
St Martin’s Lane
London WC2N 4ES
Website:
Rail/Tube : Charing Cross
Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge at the
London Coliseum at the performance on
29th March 2026
