Before I begin my review in earnest, I have to declare a bit of bias for the NNOS. As an actor myself and reluctant musical theatre performer, I’ve been on the receiving end of the Society’s welcoming spirit, their kindness and encouragement, and my experiences as part of their productions have revitalised me and helped me to grow as a performer. So, while I always intend to be objective in my reviews, I couldn’t help viewing this production like a relative watching on in a slightly anxious manner, desperately hoping that it all goes smoothly.
I needn’t have worried. The Society emphasises to its members every year that they’re the only amateur company afforded the opportunity to grace the Norwich Theatre Royal stage, but every year they produce a show that demonstrates that they can more than hold their own when measured against professional standards.
Kinky Boots opened with a lovely cameo from Ian Chisholm as Mr Price in The Most Beautiful Thing in the World, where we were also introduced to young Charlie and Lola (Archie Woodward and Terrel Taylor) who both demonstrated a presence and confidence on stage well beyond their years.
We also got our first glimpse of the slightly bewildered Charlie Price, played to absolute perfection throughout by Dominic Sands, as he battled against the expectations of his father to take over the shoe factory and the desire of his fiancée Nicola (the ever-wonderful Kathryn White) to escape Northampton.
The excellent folksy Take What You Got saw old friends Harry (James Bell) and Charlie discuss their respective paths, and indulge in a bit of vocal sparring, before we were swiftly welcomed into The Land of Lola. Akeem Ellis-Hyman as Lola was a force to be reckoned with, showing some real acting chops alongside the requisite ability to dance in frighteningly massive heels. He was ably backed by his fabulous ‘Angels’, bringing the stage to life with an explosion of both glamour and colour, and great legs to boot.
From there, the show really came to life with the tempo stepping up a notch as we were introduced to a host of the factory workers, which included the likes of Alex Green as the intolerant, macho Don, Michelle Unstead as Pat, Steven Melton as George, Rowena Croston-Clegg as Trish, and Tracy Melton as Madge. Despite having little to work with, with the exception of the slightly more defined character of Don, each role was expertly endowed by the actors with their own distinct personalities.
Those factory workers also included Lauren, played by Emmie Wright, who has arguably the best song in the show in The History of Wrong Guys. Having seen Emmie recently as Fiona in CSODS’ production of Shrek the Musical, I knew she was up to the task, and Emmie didn’t disappoint. Her vocals were exceptional, and she captured Lauren’s feisty, adorable energy absolutely perfectly. Emmie was greeted with the loudest cheer of the evening, and rightly so – she is an asset to any production with such a natural charisma on stage.
Despite my already declared bias, the company isn’t beyond reproach, and I felt at times some of the numbers could have been bigger, production-wise. While ballads such as the beautifully executed I’m Not My Father’s Son were ideal for stripping back to the bare minimum, others such as Step One, Soul of a Man and Hold Me in Your Heart felt like they could have utilised either the sizeable ensemble or a more choreographed routine to give them a lift.
That’s very much subjective stuff though, and what I witnessed overall was yet another demonstration of the sheer depth of talent in terms of performers and creatives in Norfolk, and I felt lucky to be able to see them do their thing, given that the remainder of the run is a sell-out (barring a handful of tickets on the Thursday matinee). The team behind this latest NNOS production can be rightly proud of what they’ve produced. For any would-be performers, it might be worth noting that the company’s next production will be Betty Blue Eyes in January 2024 – I would highly recommend being involved for an unforgettable experience.
Kinky Boots continues at the Norwich Theatre Royal until the 4th February.
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