It is a rare treat to see a filmed ‘pro-shot’ of a musical theatre production from Broadway or the West End. With licensing issues and the cost of production, such films are seldom produced, unless the production is a special anniversary event or a juggernaut like Hamilton with the backing of a company like Disney. This makes the initiative around Sydney theatres of showing the ‘World’s Greatest Stage Musicals’ even more admirable as it means that throughout 2024, some of the great musicals will be shown to a wider audience. 

This week, it was the turn of Kinky Boots to play at the Hayden Orpheum. Given the plot line is quite outlandish, it is easy to forget just how strong a musical Kinky Boots is. Featuring the music of Cyndi Lauper, it is the perfectly constructed musical with superb character development and a litany of fabulous songs. 

The cast from this filmed West End production is also spectacular. Matt Henry is sublime as Lola, commanding the screen and showing off a stunning voice. Killian Donnelly is a strong Charlie, if a little subdued at times and Natalie McQueen steals the show as Lauren.

The filming of the production on the iconic Kinky Boots set is also very strong, with the camera following the performers around to show a different side to what is usually seen in a stage show. For the most part this works well, although there are some cuts which are a little awkward and mean that some of the action is missed on stage. 

Ultimately, it is great to watch top-quality musical theatre in a cinema and there is no cinema better than the iconic Hayden Orpheum to do so. With the boom in musical theatre in Australia at the moment, there is certainly an appetite for this type of production and I am glad that the rights were acquired and that these screenings were put on because I believe it is ultimately fantastic for the continued thriving and success of the arts in Australia. This is a great production of Kinky Boots that translates well to the screen and for what it’s worth, I hope it returns to Australia soon. 

Kinky Boots – Hayden Orpheum. – 26^th February 2024   

Photo credit: Pexels