Kinky Boots (12A) (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Kinky Boots (12A)

THIS comedy from the creators of Calendar Girls is a modern day fairy-tale about two men who discover that you can only succeed in life by putting your best foot forward. . .preferably in a stiletto.

Charlie Price (Joel Edgerton) and his fiancee Nicola (Jemima Rooper) make preparations to leave behind his family's traditional shoe factory in Northampton to pursue a new life in London.

The sudden death of Charlie's father Harold (Robert Pugh) throws the couple's plans into disarray and the prodigal son returns to the Midlands to assume control of Price And Sons.

Business is far from booming and Charlie reluctantly sacks 15 of the workforce, in the hope that he can cut costs and drum up new orders.

Otherwise, the business established in 1895 will have to close its doors.

During a sortie in London, Charlie finds himself in The Angel Club, where he witnesses cabaret performer Lola whipping the punters into a frenzy.

Talking to the feisty drag queen, Charlie learns that finding fabulous female footwear in larger sizes is almost impossible.

With Lola's artist expertise and the encouragement of pretty factory worker Lauren, Charlie returns to Northampton to tell his workers some exciting news.

Price and Sons are going to evolve: to change from making "a range of shoes for men to shoes for a range of men".

While some of the employees are horrified, others embrace Charlie's bold vision, including long-serving Mel (Bassett) and her gang.

With just five weeks until the prestigious Milan Shoe Fair, Charlie, Lola and the workers unite to create a stitch-perfect collection to dazzle the fashion cognoscenti.

Kinky Boots is inspired by the real-life story of shoemaker Steve Pateman, who saved his ailing 100-year-old family business by turning his back on tradition.

Screenwriters Geoff Deane and Tim Firth nurture this seed of an idea, and embellish it with brassy humour, romance and gentle nods to gender and sexual politics.

Robbie Williams's former songwriting partner Guy Chambers works his magic on the musical numbers; only the title song is noticeable by its absence.

You'll be cheering Lola and Charlie every well-heeled step of the way, as they totter nervously to the catwalks of Milan.

By Damon Smith

Kinky Boots

Comedy/drama/romance

Directed by Julian Jarrold. Running time: 106 minutes.