Kinky Boots The Musical is returning to the West End next year, following its current, smash-hit tour.
Starring Strictly Come Dancing’s Johannes Radebe as Lola, Kinky Boots will play the London Coliseum from 17 March to 11 July 2026.
The show is currently touring the UK and Europe, playing the Liverpool Empire this week, then Dublin, Oxford, Munich, Zurich Stoke, Sunderland, Berlin, and Oberhausen. Johannes is only scheduled to appear in Liverpool and Dublin.
This brand new production of hit Broadway and West End musical Kinky Boots opened at the Curve Theatre in Leicester in January. The show originally opened on Broadway in 2013, before playing London’s Adelphi Theatre from 2015 to 2019.
Directed by the Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster (The Wizard of Oz, A Chorus Line), Kinky Boots The Musical is based on the hit movie, with a score by Cyndi Lauper and a book by Harvey Fierstein.
Alongside Johannes Radebe, the tour currently stars West End leading man Dan Partridge (Grease The Musical) as Charlie Price, and award-winner Courtney Bowman (Legally Blonde, SIX) as Lauren.
The cast also includes Kara Lily Hayworth (Cilla The Musical) as Nicola, Joe Caffrey (Billy Elliot) as Don, Kathryn Barnes (Guys & Dolls) as Pat, Lucy Williamson (Fame!) as Trish, Jonathan Dryden Taylor (Fiddler On The Roof) as Mr Price, Scott Paige (I Should Be So Lucky) as George and Liam Doyle (Heathers) as Harry. Also, when Johannes Radebe is not performing, Newtion Matthews (Once On This Island) plays Lola at certain performances, and Simon Snr at other performances.
Current tour casting is completed by Kofi Dennis (Hamlet), Ru Fisher (Something Rotten! Live In Concert), Ben Middleton (Grease), Ashley-Jordon Packer (A Chorus Line), Cerys Burton (The Odyssey), Cole Dunn (The Wizard Of Oz), Kaya Farrugia (There’s No Place Like Home), Jordan Isaac (Evita), Deena Kapadia (Grease), Tori McDougall (Billy Elliot) and Liam McEvoy (Legally Blonde).
Casting for the London Coliseum is to be announced.
Joining Nikolai Foster in the Kinky Boots creative team are choreography by Leah Hill, set and costume design by Robert Jones, musical supervision by George Dyer, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Adam Fisher, casting by Harry Blumenau CDG CDA, wigs, hair and make up design by Campbell Young Associates with associate direction by Michaela Powell, associate choreography by Johnny Bishop, associate sound design by Harry Barker and production management by Setting Line.
In the show, after inheriting his family’s failing shoe factory and with a relationship on the rocks, life is proving to be very challenging for Charlie Price. That is until he meets Lola, a drag queen whose sparkle and unsteady heels might just hold the answer to saving the struggling business.
Kinky Boots is playing the London Coliseum in the West End from 17 March to 11 July 2026.
Tickets go on sale on 15 July.
Ahead of the London Coliseum run, the show will play a week at the Curve in Leicester from 3 March 2026.
Currently playing at the London Coliseum is new musical The Great Gatsby, until 7 September 2025. The Great Gatsby is followed by English National Opera’s new season. Playing at the Coliseum this Christmas, is English National Ballet’s annual production of Nutcracker, and also Akram Khan’s Giselle.
Book Kinky Boots The Musical tickets – UK & Ireland Tour
What They Said
Johannes Radebe said in a statement: “I left my township in Zamdela at the age of 21 to dance in the ensemble on a cruise ship. Every night we did ABBA. That was my dream come true. Never then, nor since then, was it in my wildest dreams that I would have the opportunity to star in a musical in London’s West End. And not just any musical – my favourite musical. Kinky Boots. My involvement in Kinky Boots has been six years in the making, and Lola was the only role I ever wanted to play. Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper have written a show about accepting people for who they are, and the love our production has received across the UK has been overwhelming, beautiful and life changing. The theatre community has welcomed me, and I am having the time of my life. It is the greatest honour and responsibility to bring this show to the world famous, iconic London Coliseum. I’ll be walking in the footsteps of theatre and entertainment giants who have performed on that stage, and I’ll be doing it in my own sequined pair of red leather Kinky Boots. I cannot wait! Thank you and see you next year.”
Book writer Harvey Fierstein said: “Just knowing that Kinky Boots is returning to its birthplace gives me goosebumps! Since launching this show I’ve seen dozens of performances in multiple iterations spread its magical joy to hundreds of thousands of theater goers and the anticipation of this new production has me hanging from the edge of my seat. I can’t wait!”
Composer and lyricist Cyndi Lauper said: “I’m so thrilled that Kinky Boots is returning home to London! When audiences leave the show, they feel happy and uplifted, and that’s something the world could really use right now. It’s so wonderful that this musical keeps bringing joy and acceptance to people around the world.”
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