Kinky Boots - February 2022 and June 2022

What a manic 6 months we have had with this West End Smash Hit show of 'Kinky Boots'. After 2 years of not being able to perform on stage due to COVID-19 HOPs pulled out all the stops to get this show on the road. Telling the heart warming story of a family run shoe factory 'Price and Sons' that is in need of help to keep it in business, Charlie Price is trying his best to make his father proud and get the factory back on track. He develops an unlikely friendship with a performing Drag Queen Lola, who gives him the niche market of creating Kinky Boots for drag queens. The show is full of lovable characters, meaningful messages and a feel good mood within the songs. Directed by the wonderful Michael Kirkby, with the help of Sophie Jamshidi with the heels choreography and Jim Lunt providing his amazing talent as Musical Director. HOPs had to face many challenges during the process, COVID-19 spreading amongst everyone which interrupted rehearsals and moving to different rehearsal spaces to adapt to the pandemic rules.

February 2022 brought sell out audiences throughout show week and standing ovations every night, the atmosphere was electrifying and the reception was so positive from each audience member. HOPs were so proud of what they had achieved with Kinky Boots, singing, dancing, acting, strutting their stuff with those killer high heels and battling a huge challenge towards the end of the week. Saturday night would have been our last performance but we were struck with bad weather which caused a leak through the Harrogate Theatre roof. This was a dangerous situation and it wouldn't have been safe for the show to go on. Our Chairman Richard, alongside a member of Harrogate Theatre staff had to break the news to a sold out audience and the support we received was amazing. There was not one person who was disappointed or annoyed at us for cancelling the show at such short notice.

The committee had a decision to make, which was to bring the show back in June 2022, this decision was easily made and all the cast agreed to go ahead with such a mad idea.  Fast forward to June 2022 and we were not disappointed. The whole week was almost sold out, we even opened up the balcony seats for those who couldn't get their hands on the hottest ticket in town. More standing ovations were witnessed and the cast were buzzing throughout the week. What a blast!

Photographs by Chris Sheard - Stage Shots Photography