It is a truth universally acknowledged that I have an unwavering passion for musical theatre. I was actually in Bugsy Malone as a schoolgirl, but lucky for you when fame came knocking at my door I followed a different path into fashion.
Ahem, anyway...when I heard there was a new West End show in town combining song and dance with my other passion - shoes (oh yes, shoes!) I obviously HAD to go. Shoes is an all-singing, all-dancing revue show inspired by, you guessed it, our favourite footwear - and my, what a show it is! Written and composed by Richard Thomas, who brought us 'Jerry Springer: The Opera", Shoes premiered at the Royal London Theatre after which it ran in the West End from 2003-2005. It's now back with a vengeance, bigger and better than ever and on at the Sadler's Wells Peacock Theatre until April 3rd. If you're at all a fan of shoes (and let's be honest, what woman isn't?) it's worth a viewing - though it might be one for the girls, I noticed a lot of confused men in the audience at certain points of the show!
From the opening number detailing the history of shoes, to the closing notes of the Red Shoe Breakdown, you will be amazed and astounded at how effortlessly two hours fly by. The show features an array of numbers dedicated to a whole wardrobe of fabulous footwear, informative as it is hilarious with songs such as Health & Safety instructing you on how to walk properly in high heels. (In case you were wondering; score the bottom with a razor, take small steps, centre your hips, spend two years practising...). The lyrics were extremely clever, from Mary Janes ("drive the boys insane - there's so much more to you than your name...") to Terry de Havilland platforms ("they may look terrific, but in 10 years you'll be arthritic!). Attention to detail was faultless - a number on Ugg boots featured dancing sheep, while Birkenstocks were modelled by a singer looking suspiciously like Jesus.
Breakdancers in Adidas sneakers, scarlet pointe shoes (my favourites), an incredible amount of tap dancing - every base was covered and it was an incredibly inventive way to include so many methods of dance. Act 1 closed with a group of nuns on stage singing a hymn... to Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin and their contemporaries - it had the audience in stitches. Of course the show wouldn't be complete with an ode to Imelda Marcos, but the highlight for me had to be the operatic number 'Te Amo Ferragamo!'.
All in all it was the perfect fashion-themed girls' night out - the singing had everyone in stitches, and the dancing made me wish (yet again!) that I'd never thrown away those tap shoes...
On now at the Sadler's Wells Peacock Theatre, Portugal Street, Holborn until April 3rd. For more information visit http://www.sadlerswells.com/show/Shoes-West-End
Love Laurel x
