Book Vs. Movie: Kinky Boots
The True Story Behind the 2005 Movie & 2013 Broadway Musical (and the 2019 movie!)
The “Month of Musicals” concludes with Kinky Boots, the true story of a footwear company in Earls Barton, North Hamptonshire, UK–WJ Brooks. The factory was in Steve Pateman’s family for decades when in the 1990s, they started losing money to the cheaper, faster competition. Pateman appeared on BBC’s Trouble at the Top documentary showing how his company switched to creating boots for transvestites who needed more security when they stood in high heels. The collection expanded to “kink wear,” dubbed “Kinky Boots,” by the BBC producers, and the story took off.
In 2005, director Julian Jarrold and writers Geoff Deane and Tim Firth brought the story to life (unfortunately, the factory had to close in 2000.) Joel Edgerton plays Charlie Price (the Steve Patemen substitute), and Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Lola is an amalgam of several drag queens that were customers of WJ Brooks’s “Divine, Provider, and Lady Provider” brands. The film has an amazing soundtrack, and Ejiofor was nominated for a Golden Globe.
Harvey Fierstein wrote the book for the musical with legendary talent Cyndi Lauper creating the music and lyrics before its debut in Chicago in 2013. The production would go on to be a smash Broadway hit, earning six Tony Awards and with productions around the world.
The Margos debate between the film and the musical to try and decide which we like more!
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- The backstory of the movie
- The theme of drag in popular culture and how it is being weaponized currently
- The cast of the 2005 film: Joel Edgerton (Charlie Price,) Chiwetel Ejiofor (Lola,) Sarah-Jane Potts (Lauren,) Jemima Rooper (Nicola,) Nick Frost (Don Burton,) Linda Bassett (Melanie,) Robert Pugh (Harold Price,) and Ewan Hooper as George.
- The cast of the original 2013 Broadway show: Stark Sands (Charlie Price,) Billy Porter (Lola,) Annaleigh Ashford (Lauren), and Lena Hall as Nicola.
- The original London cast: Killian Donnelly (Charlie Price,) Matt Henry (Lola,) Sophie Wright (Lauren,) Teagan Wouters (Nicola,) and Joe Kosky as Don.
Clips used:
- “Burgandy!!”
- Kinky Boots original 2005 trailer
- “Whatever Lola Wants” Chiwetel Ejiofor
- Arm wrestling with Lola
- “These Boots Are Made for Walking” Chiwetel Ejiofor
- Kinky Boots 2013 Broadway trailer
- Kinky Boots 2013 Tony Awards Billy Porter
- “Land of Lola” Kinky Boots: The Musical (2019) Matt Henry
- Music: Raise You Up International Pride Cast Reunion 2020 Billy Porter & Co.
Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts
Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie
Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/
Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com
Email us at [email protected]
Margo D. @BrooklynMargo www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected]
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine
