Review: Kinky Boots the Musical

Kinky Boots the Musical at MK Theatre – 29/10/19

Having seen the film Kinky Boots, I was very excited to go and see the musical that has arrived in Milton Keynes for the next couple of weeks.

Based on the true story of WJ Brookes, the musical follows the trials and tribulations of Charlie Price, a Northampton shoemaker, who has inherited a failing shoe factory from his father. To turn things around and stop the building being sold to property developers, Charlie decides that his company needs a niche market. Enter Lola! If you’ve seen the film, then you’ll know the casting of the character Lola is quite pivotal to the story, and the casting of Kayi Ushe as Lola in this stage version is perfect!

Lola is a drag queen that always has problems with the heel snapping on her (his) boots. Charlie sees this need and decides to do something about it. The audience is taken through the journey of Charlie’s up and downs as he produces ‘ladies footwear for men’.

Sometimes when a film is adapted for the stage it can cut out a lot of the detail and songs can be inserted for the sake of it – not necessarily adding anything. I don’t feel this was the case with Kinky Boots. The songs added to the story and engaged the audience with the mood of the scene, whether that be happy, sad or comical.

Giving the audience the complete immersive experience was the set. A backdrop of a shoe factory but with a central rotating ‘room’ that with a quick spin, transformed the stage to a bar, storeroom, a boxing ring or Lola’s stage. All very clever and allowed the action to flow effortlessly from one scene to the next.

On page 15 of the November Phonebox we spoke to Joel-Harper Jackson who plays Charlie. He said his favourite part is the big finale. Whilst watching it, you can really understand why he would say that as it was such a feel-good moment – and as he mentions, the audience really did go wild.

Kinky Boots is on at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 9^th November.

Tickets available from https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/kinky-boots/milton-keynes-theatre. I’d be quick though, as this is going to be a popular one.

WHAT'S ON: Easter weekend (April 2nd-5th)

Scrumptious egg hunts and chocolate prizes for whole family

This Easter bank holiday there are a range of activities across Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire.

The Easter holidays mean different things to everyone, whether it be a time to eat as much chocolate as possible, a long weekend break from work or an important time in the religious calendar. Fancy getting out of the house? Try these events in the area. 

Easter egg hunts are taking place across the country this holiday, and Olney’s Cowper and Newton Museum (01234 711516) is no different with a trail until the 11th, alongside arts and crafts to keep youngsters busy. The clues are dotted around the museum and the centre of Olney, with a prize day for a Paddington Bear toy from Happy Days Top shop.

Further down the High Street, The Two Brewers is hosting an Easter fun day on the 3rd, with arts and crafts, a bouncy castle and face painting. 

Churches Together in Newport Pagnell are holding a procession and open air Service of Witness through the town on the same day. 

Hot cross buns and refreshments will be served in the Methodist Church afterwards. Easter Day Holy Communion will be held on Sunday morning (Newport-pagnell.org.uk). 

Children can become spies for the day at Bletchley Park throughout the holidays with a range of craft and Easter-themed activities at the site, including tours, trails, quizzes and collection handling. On the 6th, visitors can hunt for chocolate prizes in the Easter Eggstravaganza. 

Family Fun Wednesdays return to the site on the 1st and 8th, with under 12s getting free entry (bletchleypark.org.uk). MK Museum will be holding its own Easter egg hunt too (see our feature for full details). 

Lastly, The Park’s Trust egg hunt may be sold out but they are holding free themed fun and games on the 8th from 10am-2pm (theparkstrust.com).  

Northampton’s Abington Park Museum have a trail around the site, with treasure hunters winning a chocolate prize, from the 2nd-6th. The drop-in activity is just £1 per person (Northampton.gov.uk). The following day the museum is holding a nature-themed workshop where children can make their own caterpillar. 

The West Lodge Rural Centre is putting on its own Easter trail from the 4th-6th, with eggs hidden around the farm (westlodgeruralcentre.co.uk). For those wanting to head outside, Santa Pod is hosting the Festival of Power over the Easter weekend with drag racing, jet cars, stuns and air displays (santapod.co.uk). 

There’s the chance for children to sing, dance, recreate famous artworks and make their own Easter crafts at The Higgins in Bedford during the holidays (thehigginsbedford.org.uk) With holiday activities take place at 11am, 12, 2pm and 3pm. The town’s John Bunyan Museum is also offering a free Easter hunt until the 11th (bunyanmeeting.co.uk/museum). 

Until the 13th, there will be 25 places throughout Bedford with a picture of a bunny. If you find all of them you can win £100 worth of vouchers (lovebedford.co.uk). 

Further afield, the Roald Dahl Museum is putting on a range of spring-themed activities for families, including making crackling egg cups and  chirpy chicks (roalddahl.com). 

Anything we haven’t mentioned? Just get in touch on (01234) 713298.

A Knights' trail- Discover the sculptures of Northampton

If you're looking to get out of the Milton Keynes area during the Easter holidays, then why not pay a visit to Northampton?

Since the 23rd March until the end of August, 'A Knight's Trail' features six large-scale Medieval knight sculptures, which are currently dotted around the town, to create the knight's trail, with each of the knights depicting the historical details of the English knights from the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. These periods have been chosen as they relate to significant events in Medieval England and Northampton, such as: The signing of the Magna Carta in 1215, the Second Barons' War in 1264, the start of the Hundred Years' War in 1337, the last Parliament held at Northampton Castle in 1281 and the Battle of Northampton in 1460.

All the sculptures of the knights have been carved from huge trunks by a group of three chainsaw artists, Daniel Cordell, Simon O'Rourke and Hue Thomas, who have exhibited around the world and won a number of prestigious commissions, including ones at Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens and more.

A great idea for a day out with the family, you could do it as a race or just enjoy a walk through the town, taking photos of the knights as you go. Follow the map below to discover where the various sculptures of the knights will be, as well as a sculpture of the Borough crest. Maps can be picked up from various points around the town, at the Tourist Information Centre, Northampton Museum and Art Gallery and Grosvenor Shopping Centre.