REVIEW: KINKY BOOTS @ LONDON COLISEUM

🎭 Kinky Boots

📍 London Coliseum, St. Martin's Lane, London, WC2N 4ES

🗓 Tuesday 21st April 2026

⭐️ 3 Stars

GLITTER WITHOUT THE GLOW

Last night I headed to the gorgeous London Coliseum to catch the sparkly new revival of KINKY BOOTS. Now, we all know the story; it's that true-ish heart-warmer about a struggling shoe factory in Northampton that finds its soul (and its sole) through some fabulous drag footwear. It's a story that's lived many lives, from the 2005 indie flick to the smash-hit Broadway and West End runs, and it's back for a limited stint in the massive Coliseum.

Visually, I've got to say, it's a bit of a mixed bag. The costumes are absolutely to die for. Dazzling, sequins for days, and exactly what you want from a show with "Kinky" in the title. The lighting design is loud, proud, and fabulous, though I did notice the follow spots seemed to be playing a bit of a game of tag, constantly chasing the actors around the stage.

The set design is where things get a bit tricky. At first glance, it looks impressive, but in practice, it's a little clunky. It has a habit of pushing the action right to the back of the stage, and the platform level feels oddly small for such a big venue. Because of how the stairs are positioned, I found characters were often obscured when they were talking. This was usually only momentarily, but I expect better from a professional production. Plus, there's a steel-effect frame that drops during the factory scenes that really messes with the sightlines. I was sitting in the Dress Circle, which I'd wager is the sweet spot. I'm sure that in the Stalls the action would feel miles away, and any higher you'd lose everything happening on the platform.

Now, let's talk about the elephants in the room - the casting. Look, we all know that Matt Cardle can sing. His vocals during "Soul of a Man" were genuinely stratospheric, but when the music stops the acting just isn't there. Unfortunately it's a similar story with Johannes Radebe. The problem is that the entire show is built on the relationship between Charlie and Lola, and when it's just the two of them, the lack of emotional depth makes the scenes feel incredibly drawn out. I just didn't believe what they were saying, so I found it hard to connect with them, or to care about what happened to them.

Johannes can certainly carry a tune, but his vocals lacked the soul I'm looking for in a West End lead. He felt like he was going through the motions, and I kept wondering: where was that trademark sass and sparkle he's so famous for? KINKY BOOTS has such a following and is such a strong brand that I really don't think it needed this stunt casting to sell tickets.

The saving grace was Courtney Bowman as Lauren. An absolute superstar, she injected so much warmth and heart into proceedings, completely charming us with her truth and comedic timing. Her rendition of "The History of Wrong Guys" was breathtaking, and was easily the highlight of the night - what a voice! Honestly, I wish she'd been given more to do.

And I have to give a massive shoutout to the ensemble. They were outstanding, setting the auditorium alight with sensational vocals and choreography that was executed to perfection. Other notable performances came from Billy Roberts, Scott Paige, and Liam Doyle.

Ultimately, it really depends on what you want from this production. If you're going for a dazzling spectacle or the chance to see some of your favourite celebrities live on stage, then you're going to have a great time. However, if you're going for the storytelling and the raw emotion that usually makes this show so special, then you may, like me, leave the theatre feeling a little bit flat.

It's a show with a lot of glitter but, this time around, not quite enough heart. While Courtney Bowman and the ensemble are working overtime to keep the energy up, the lack of chemistry in the leading roles and some clunky staging choices mean this production doesn't quite reach the heights of previous iterations.

KINKY BOOTS continues performances at London Coliseum until Saturday 11th July. Click here to get tickets from £20 from SeatPlan.

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of Kinky Boots was gifted by SeatPlan who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

FULL CAST LIST:

Johannes Radebe as Lola; Matt Cardle as Charlie Price: Tosh Wanogho-Maud as Alternate Lola; Courtney Bowman as Lauren; Billie-Kay as Nicola; Billy Roberts as Don; Rachel Izen as Pat; Jessica Daley as Trish; Jonathan Dryden Taylor as Mr Price / Angel; Scott Paige as George; Liam Doyle as Harry; Andy Barke as Ensemble; Kathryn Barnes as Ensemble; Cerys Burton as Ensemble; Kaya Farrugia as Ensemble; Nay-Nay as Simon Sr. / Ensemble / Angel; Keith Alexander as Ensemble / Angel; Nathan Daly as Ensemble / Angel; Kofi Dennis as Ensemble / Angel; Ru Fisher as Ensemble / Angel; Darnell Mathew-James as Ensemble / Angel; Liam McEvoy as Ensemble / Angel; Ashley-Jordon Packer as Ensemble / Angel; Cole Dunn as On Stage Swing; Annell Odartey as On Stage Swing; Jordan Isaac as On Stage Swing; Tori McDougall as On Stage Swing

The role of Young Charlie is shared by Archie John Allen, Joshua Beswick; Louis Cohen, and Callum George - The role of Young Lola is shared by Sean Garcia Madiba; Noah Ronkainen Phillips, and Rio-Blake Power

RUNNING TIME (approx):

2 hours 20 minutes, including interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Strong language; Mild adult humour; Exploration of gender identity and sexuality; Complex father-son relationships; Strobe lighting; Flashing lights; Smoke and haze effects

AGE GUIDELINES:

8 +

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