Musical Review: 'Harvey Fierstein's Kinky Boots'

Musicals, in all its glorious shapes, are very much living forms of art. Despite its developments over the years, musicals have stood the test of time. This is apparent in an episode of the 2017 ‘superhero’ television series The Flash, in which musicals were incorporated. The main character, Barry Allen attributes this to musicals capacity of being utopian. Kinky Boots, the musical is based on the book written by Harvey Fierstein and it has been adapted from the film with the same name. The musical has garnered popularity since its inception on Broadway and during its time on West End and now it takes the shores of Australia by storm. Therefore, this essay will center its analysis on the popular performance of Kinky Boots, which

The success of musicals depends on the extent that it touches audiences and Kinky Boots has embraced the qualities to do so. For example, the musical encompasses a great message about accepting people for who they are. A line from the musical that stood out was stated by Lola who was quoting Oscar Wilde in saying ‘Be yourself, everyone else is already taken!’. The musical challenges mainstream perceptions of drag while telling a heartwarming story. One of the main characters, Lola is a black male who dresses up as a transvestite and is portrayed as ‘other’ and an underdog. The focus on a ‘woman’s’ story and the emphasis on friendship are also appealing to audiences. This convention was first seen in the production of the musical Wicked. The relationship between Charlie and Lola that is bound together by their shared search for human dignity is a strong and powerful spine to the story. Their friendship is underpinned by the conflict between pleasing others and staying true to themselves, which is a key message of the musical. Kinky Boots attracts a huge range of audiences, including families and young people for whom it serves as an exemplary purpose for, as they are struggling with defining who they are. The musical highlights the importance of being true to one’s self and it conceptualizes a future for them in which they can be different, without being disfavored. Kinky Boots also has some ‘daddy’ issues that run through its narrative, as both Charlie and Lola are under the pressure set by their respective fathers. The story line and moral messages of the musical makes audiences identify with the characters, allowing them to become invested in the