VALENTINE'S DATE IDEA: KINKY BOOTS THE MUSICAL

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Hi lovelies! If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter, then you'll already know that last night, I spent the evening in London seeing Kinky Boots The Musical. I love musicals so when I was asked if I'd like to see the show, I said yes instantly, despite not actually knowing very much about it. So of course, I looked into the show to find out a little more about it and learned about the story of Price & Son, the Shoe Factory run by Charlie Price, played by Killian Donnelly, who is struggling to live up to his Father's expectations. While the future of Price & Son is looking uncertain and staffs careers are hanging in the balance, help arrives in the form of Lola, an absolutely dazzling Drag Queen played by Matt Henry, who is in need of some fabulous boots that are sturdy enough for men to perform in.

Kinky Boots Ensemble

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I don't even know where to begin with this show, I have to say, I honestly had no idea what to expect, as I hadn't seen the film, so I only knew the very basic storyline from what I'd read online. I have to say, I'm honestly so glad that I sort of went in without many expectations as I think it made me enjoy the show all the more as I never knew what was coming next. I'm not going to go into fine details of what happens in the show as I'd hate to give away any spoilers but I can honestly say I'd recommend this show to anyone. I took my Mum with me, because she absolutely loves the theatre and to be totally honest, I wasn't sure my boyfriend would really like it. I was so wrong, despite being a bright, colourful, flamboyant performance throughout, the storyline is incredible and intensely gripping from start to finish and while it has a wonderful, heart warming message, it's also riddled with slightly dirty jokes and humour, which I know my boyfriend in particular would find hilarious. With this in mind, I think this show would be just perfect for a Valentines date, be it with your partner, or even just with a group of friends, as it has a genuine feel-good factor that I'm sure would appeal to just about anyone.

Matt Henry as Lola

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The fact that the show is based on a true story makes it that bit more enjoyable as while it is of course dramatised for entertainment factor, you can really relate to the characters and their individual stories. In particular, I thought Matt Henry who played Lola was just phenomenal, his performance, though massively flamboyant and theatrical, is so believable and real, I personally felt real emotion for the story of young Simon from Clacton, who was disowned by his father. He plays the two sides to the character perfectly, making you literally laugh and cry until it hurts! Killian Donnelly, who plays Charlie, gave one of the most passionate performances I think I've ever seen in a West End show, despite his ups and downs, you really come to love the endearingly awkward character of Charlie and you're really rooting for him throughout the show. There are another couple of actors that I think are worth mentioning, the first being Amy Lennox, who plays Lauren, easily one of the most relatable, loveable characters in the show, while her character is a bit of comic relief, she also does a perfect job of depicting the very real emotional conflict you feel when falling in love with someone that you perhaps shouldn't. Another favourite of mine was Jamie Baughan, who played Don, a factory worker, who at first, is intimidating and somewhat nasty, believing men should be 'men', he's incredibly uncomfortable around Lola and gives a very believable performance, showing, in my opinion, how a lot of men might act in a situation like this. Watching his character develop throughout the show is just fantastic and without giving away any spoilers - you'll really come to love him in the final scenes!

The Show is currently at the Adelphi Theatre in Strand, London. The theatre itself is a good size, with plenty of seating and great leg room, particularly where we were sat in the stalls. It's large, without being so huge that those in the back would struggle to see, which I think is really nice when you want to enjoy a show! Our seats were a few rows from the front, which I'd definitely recommend, as you're not so close that you're craning your neck to see, but close enough to really see every single emotion on the perfomers faces and the tiny details in the costumes, props and backdrops. The costumes were actually one of my favourite parts of the show, being up close, I could see the impeccable attention to detail in each and every outfit, particularly on the Drag Queens costumes.

Overall, I would thoroughly recommend Kinky Boots as an idea for a Valentines Date (there's still time!) or as a Mother's Day or Birthday gift for someone who loves Musicals. The current booking period goes right up until 24th September, so there's plenty of time to get your tickets. Again, I'd recommend this for just about anyone, as it's a feel good show with a lot of humour and emotion. If you've been thinking about going to see a musical soon, or if you've been umming and ahhing about going to see Kinky Boots, then you have to go. I've seen lots of Musicals and I can genuinely say that this one has topped them all, I was hooked from start to finish and there are no 'dead moments', where you're waiting for the next bit, this show is all go from the opening jingle to the big finale and I promise you won't be disappointed.

If you're still not convinced (you should be!!), then check out the trailer below for a preview of what you'll be missing out on if you don't go!



What do you think? Is Kinky Boots something you'd like to see? Or maybe you've seen it already! If so, let me know what you thought in the comments below!